On the way down
by sillycucumber
Summary: Ginny comes back to England after seven years and it brings old feelings to the surface for both she and Harry...especially with her teasing.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1. Well, I'm still recovering from the huge blow to my pride from what I did with my last story, but I feel more confident about this one. Enjoy!

As always my disclaimer declares that I, sadly, own nothing!

* * *

260 Jaunthill Lane, Hogsmeade. This was the address most girls (and some guys) between the ages of 12-23 would kill to know. And why is that? Well the answer is quite simple really.

This was the address of Harry Potter.

Now, you might find this name familiar. Perhaps you have heard it somewhere before. Yes, there are the usual stories of great heroism and self sacrifice… not to mention one cute little butt. But to the man himself, this was all a load of tripe.

Harry Potter unlocked the front door with his wand, the setting sun bearing down on his back as the bustle of Hogsmeade passed behind him. When he had first moved in there right after graduation, everyday he would cast a glance over his shoulder and smile at the many witches, wizards, hags and assorted eccentrics that would walk past, loving its difference to the stuffiness of Privet Drive. But now, after seven years of living there, the novelty had worn off, and all he wanted to do was get inside.

He entered the house with a sigh of relief and shut the door behind him, pausing only a moment to remove his cloak and hang it up before heading straight to the kitchen for a much needed Butterbeer.

On his way through the living room, he smiled as he spotted his roommate at the table surrounded by parchment and broken quills.

"Hermione, may I take this opportunity to define the term 'Sabbatical' to you?" he sang, going to the fridge.

Hermione smiled, but continued to write on her very long piece of parchment which was already flowing over the table. "I do not need quoting from a dictionary from you of all people." She said simply.

Harry grabbed a Butterbeer and sat himself down next to Hermione, eyeing all the paperwork scattered around her. "Er, somehow I think you do. You shouldn't be doing all this work you know." He said, picking up a short piece of parchment and looking at it absentmindedly. "What would Mr. Husband say if he knew what you were doing?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I didn't listen to him in school and I certainly don't intend to listen to him now." She said, her eyes still fixed on the parchment as she wrote.

Harry watched her for a moment, wondering how it was she could write fluidly and neatly and talk all the same time without missing a beat. Perhaps it was a woman thing.

"Well, you should at least listen to me. Put all this work away and get back on the sofa like a good girl." He said, eyeing her.

"Harry I'm pregnant, not dying." Hermione laughed, sub-consciously rubbing a hand over her large belly. "There's nothing stopping me from sitting here and catching up on a little work."

"This is _little_?" he asked incredulously, swiping a hand across the stacks of papers. "What is it you guys do down there anyway?" he asked.

Hermione smiled. She was working as an Unspeakable and therefore couldn't tell anyone anything about what it was she did on a day to day basis. Even her paperwork – which both Harry and Ron had tried to sneak a peek at more than once in the past – had been charmed so that only she could read it. She never spoke of what she did, even to them.

"Now if I told you that, I'd have to kill you." She said airily.

"Hmm, says the pregnant woman who can't even see her own feet." Harry said, putting his feet up on the chair beside him. "Have you heard from Ron?"

"Yes, Pig arrived today with quite the essay for me. The poor dear… it took him a good hour to recover from the effort." Hermione giggled. "Anyway, he said to say hi to you and that he wishes you were there, but is glad you're not."

Harry snorted and took another sip of his drink. "Such is the life of a famous Quidditch player eh?"

Ron was currently away with his team playing an overseas match in Australia. He had stubbornly refused to leave at first, owing to Hermione's condition, but after much coaxing and promises of immediate owling if anything happened, Harry and Hermione had convinced him to go with the Cannon's. He was, after all, their star Keeper. So, Harry had become the 'man of the house' once more, taking care of his best friend to the best of his ability.

"So, how was work for you today?" Hermione asked.

Harry sighed, took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "Boring actually. I've been in my office filling out forms for the new trainees coming in at the end of the month. Tonks took me out of active duty for the day." He grumbled.

Harry had become one of the Ministry's top Auror's in the short amount of time he had been working there. He had gotten top marks on his exams and was very good out in the field. And not because of his name or the scar on his head, which admittedly, did come in handy more than once.

He looked at Hermione for a moment, before frowning. "You know, most women with 'a keg in the fridge' wouldn't be seen dead working on unspeakable assignments."

"Yes well, I'm not most women." Hermione said. "And the next time you feel like referring to my child as a large amount of alcohol, don't." she added.

Harry laughed, put his glasses back on and stood up. "Well, if there are no other tidbits of information to share, I think I'll go have a nice warm shower." He said stretching to the ceiling.

"Actually, there is something." Hermione said, finally looking up with blurry eyes.

"Oh yes?"

"Yeah. Ginny's coming to stay."

Harry's mouth dropped open. "What?"

"I said Ginny's…"

"Yes, I heard you." Harry cut off. "But, why? When was this decided?"

"She's on holidays and wanted to come home for a few months. She didn't seem terribly fussed about staying at the Burrow, so I offered her the extra room here." Hermione said. She had expected Harry to be casual and happy about their friend coming to stay, but instead he had a frown on his face. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No. It will be good to see her again. It's just…" he trailed off.

"Just what?" she pressed.

Harry ruffled his hair. "Well, I would have preferred it if you had talked to me about this before you went handing out invitations."

Hermione tried not to show her surprise. "Harry, I didn't think it would be this much of an issue. It's only Ginny after all."

"Yes, but I live here too. And such decisions should be brought to me so we can talk about it."

"Are you saying you don't want Ginny here?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Of course I'm not saying that! I'm just saying that it would have been nice if you had asked me before you decided anything. God, it would have taken you ten minutes to owl me about this Hermione!" Harry said irritably.

The pair glared at each other for a while, equally irritated with the other's stubbornness and inconsideration, before Hermione finally cracked and sighed.

"You're right. I'm sorry I didn't owl you about it." She said, shifting a little in her seat with a wince. "I thought you would be happy about seeing Ginny again after so long.

Harry sighed and deflated. "No, _I'm_ sorry. I'm being a pillock… of course it's alright for Ginny to stay here." He said with an apologetic smile. "I just don't like being out of the loop."

"I know. I'm sorry." Hermione said. She opened up her arms and Harry dropped to his knees in front of her and hugged her, saving her the trouble of standing up. "I just didn't think this would be an issue."

Harry shook his head, pulled back and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Ignore me, I'm tired and cranky and in desperate need of a shower." He said, standing up. "Yes, Ginny will stay here and it will be fabulous. Although now I'll have to start being even tidier, what with _two_ Weasley women living under my roof."

Hermione laughed. "Well, I'm glad you feel so accommodating."

"When's she arriving?"

"Oh, in about two hours actually."

Harry stared at her.

"Oooh, you are _so_ lucky I don't kick impregnated witches."

* * *

A good hour and a half later, Harry had had his refreshing shower, gotten changed into his favorite pair of jeans and red shirt and decided very reluctantly to drag his arse to his room and do some research for his new assignment.

As he sat at his desk with his headphones on, his mind stubbornly drifted away from his work to the centre of his teenage hormonal dreams.

Ginny Weasley.

He had not seen her in three years since Arthur and Molly's Anniversary dinner. Since she had left school, she had been living in Romania, working with Charlie at one of his Dragon camps. From what he had heard on the grapevine, she was very happy with her life and her job. Charlie had never been as proud of anyone as he was his little sister, as she possessed the same passion and energy for her work as he did.

But now she was coming back to England, and it threw things back out of proportion for Harry and his personal life. He had, very late in the game, finally woken up and realized the way he felt about Ginny. Of course, he did nothing about it for many reasons. One of those, being that she had clearly gotten over him by then… and the other that she would have been far too much in danger if he had.

At the time he had realized his feelings for her, he was in the middle of a war. It had been a very hard and dark time in his life, and he had pushed everyone away from him, determined not to let them get caught in the crossfire of such a personal battle between him and the Dark Lord, and that included Ginny. When the battle had been won, he had just assumed it was just too late to do anything about their situation and left it at platonic.

But what did it mean now? They were different people with different lives. They were no longer teenagers looking over their shoulder in case of attacks. But Harry knew he still didn't have the time for things like that. He had work to do. The life of an Auror was hardly any better than the one he had been living back then.

So, resolving to push romantic thoughts of his best friend's sister to the dark recesses of his heart, he dipped his quill in the inkpot and changed the song to one he particularly liked.

The music was energetic and Harry knew the words to mostly all of the songs on his CD. Music helped him work, and he wished sometimes he could take his Discman into the office with him when he was up for a grueling afternoon of filling out paperwork.

He had lost track of time when a hand came out of no-where, plucked his glasses off his face, put them in his hand and covered his eyes. He jumped as the person lifted the left earphone away from his ear, kissed him on the cheek and whispered. "Guess who?"

Harry smiled and pulled his headphones off so they hung around his neck. He would recognize that cocky, sweet, female voice anywhere.

"Hmm, well you can't be Hermione because she can't stand that close to me without having to stretch her arms out as far as they can go." He said playing along. "You'll have to be Ginny Weasley."

He heard her laugh and she removed her hand from his eyes. He blinked, put his glasses back on and turned around to finally clap eyes on her.

He felt his stomach clench.

There she stood at her tallest height of 5'6, her red hair very long with bleached blonde streaks through it from the sun as it hung over her shoulders. Her face was the friendly one he remembered with a very nice tan. She seemed to be in possession of a few more freckles, but her face didn't seem too weathered at all. She had acquired a bit more muscle and it seemed as well, but not intimidatingly so. She was looking up at him with those big brown eyes and she was absolutely gorgeous.

But of course, he didn't say that.

"Ginny." Harry said, trying to act casual. It was hard to do so when she smiled at you like that.

Ginny laughed. "Enough staring, more hugging please!" she said, looking at him expectantly.

Harry snorted and stood up… but nearly strangled himself as his Discman went clattering to the floor, his headphones hanging uncomfortably around his neck. "Ow! Oh, bugger." He groaned.

Ginny smiled and bent down to help him pick it up. "Clumsy. This is a new trait for you." She said.

Harry laughed. "Mr. Smooth, that's me." He said. He placed his precious music back on his desk and they stood up. "Wow, I can't believe you're here." He said, giving her a smile.

Ginny slipped her arms around his neck and hugged him warmly. "It's been too long Harry."

Harry wrapped his arms around her tiny waist, enjoying her closeness. She smelt like outdoors and a little like smoke, but that was to be expected.

She pulled back and put her hands in her pockets. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt your work. Hermione told me I should just come right in."

"Oh no, that's fine. Nothing that can't wait." He said, waving a hand dismissively at his desk. "I lost track of time, otherwise I would have come out to greet you. How long have you been here?"

"Oh, I just got here." Ginny said casually. "Cant you tell?"

Harry laughed, noticing that she was indeed still dressed in attire suited for Dragon handling. "Well, that's okay. With you looking like that and Hermione dressed in tents all the time, we'll make a right sight for outsiders."

Ginny laughed and Harry led her back out of the room, down the hall and to the living room where Hermione was currently sitting. She was reclined on the sofa, a book propped against her belly as she ate out of a tin of sardines smothered with tomato sauce.

Ginny looked at her incredulously, but Harry didn't even bat an eyelash as he told her to make herself at home. "So, this the nutritional regime we prize ourselves on, is it?" she asked Hermione.

"Leave me alone, I'm physically challenged." Hermione said, still reading her book as Crookshanks waited patiently beside her.

"You'll get used to her." Harry called from the kitchen as he began pulling food out. "She's either on the sofa, on the loo… or on the sofa wishing she could get to the loo."

"I beg your pardon? This from a man who sits in front of the wireless for _hours_ in nothing but his _underwear_, listening to the Quidditch."

Ginny smiled as she watched Harry and Hermione pass a friendly banter. When she had first heard that they were still living together, she had been shocked. Harry living with a married couple expecting their first child had seemed rather unusual, but witnessing it first hand it didn't seem all that out of the ordinary.

In fact, sometimes, she even found herself very jealous at the way they interacted with each other.

"So, what's for dinner?" Harry asked.

"Oh, do you want help?" Hermione called, shifting a little in attempt to sit up.

"No, stay there."

"How about me? I don't just want to sit here and do nothing." Ginny said.

"No, you're the guest. You must be tired after apparating so far. Just relax and try to ignore the smell of sardines." Harry said, conjuring more bowls and food with flicks of his wand. "I am neither tired nor impregnated."

"I should sincerely hope not." Hermione said, giving him a smirk.

"So Ginny, what do you want?" Harry asked, summoning more utensils out of thin air. "I'll cook you anything you like."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "You can cook?" she looked to Hermione. "He can _cook_?"

"You'd be surprised. He can actually boil water now." Hermione responded.

Ginny laughed as Harry threw Hermione a nasty look. "Well,' Ginny said, letting her eyes trail freely up and down his body 'it seems that your good looks aren't the only thing that's developed nicely in my absence."

Harry looked over at her, feeling stunned. Was that a flirtatious compliment? Or was she teasing? As he looked at her, all he could see was that she was smiling at him with that humorous quirk to the corner of her mouth.

So, opting to be on the safe side, he simply smiled and went back to his cooking.

* * *

After they had been stuffed full of the roast dinner Harry cooked, caught up on each other's lives and also gotten sick of the smell of Hermione's cat-food dinner, Harry decided to take Ginny on a proper tour of the house. She had not been there in the whole time they had been living there, and she was pleasantly surprised at the size of the estate.

"And this is your room. One of the best in the house." Harry said, opening a door for Ginny.

She rolled her eyes. "That's what you said about all the other rooms." She said, reaching for her massive duffle bag.

"Oh, you want help with that?" Harry asked.

"Nope, that's okay, I got it."

And, as Harry found out, she had. Ginny lifted the huge bag off the floor with one hand as if it weighed nothing. It made him feel a little inferior and intimidated as she waltzed straight past him into the room, dumping her bag at the end of the double bed.

"So, is this okay?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe and watching her as she flopped down on the bed.

Ginny laughed. "Are you kidding? Moaning Myrtle's bathroom would be cozier compared to the tent I've been living in for the past month."

The room was the smallest of the four in the entire house, but was still not what you would consider cramped. It was the size of a master bedroom and had many furnishings that made it feel warm and welcoming; despite the fact no-one used it. It did not possess the aura of someone in there like most bedrooms did, but Ginny seemed far from noticing that at this point.

"It beats being back home at the Burrow." Ginny said, sitting up.

Harry frowned. "What's that meant to mean?"

"Oh don't get me wrong, I love the Burrow with all my little Weasley heart. But…I'm 24 years old Harry, and don't need nor really want my mother fussing over me like a madwoman." She said with a small smile.

Harry nodded, not completely understanding.

"Besides,' she continued, leaning forward 'I'm sure it's going to be much more fun staying here with you."

Harry didn't know what she meant by 'you', but kept his hopes under the rug where they belonged. "Well, I can't make promises on that. What with Ron out of the country, Hermione unable to move more than ten steps without having to detour towards the toilet and me always at work…"

"Huh," Ginny laughed. "Maybe I _should_ go stay at the Burrow."

"No." Harry said a little quickly. The words were out of his mouth before he realized she had only been joking. "I mean, er…"

"Hey!" came Hermione's voice from behind them. "Settling in alright?" she asked Ginny, poking her head in the door.

Harry let out a silent breath of relief, having never been as thankful for her superb timing as he was in that moment.

"Yeah, Harry just finished giving me the tour of your house." Ginny said. "And may I say it's amazing what you three bought on such a modest budget. I can't believe I never took the time to come visit earlier on."

"Well, that's your own fault for not accepting our invitations sooner." Hermione said. "Anyway, I just waddled down here to tell you both that I'm off to bed. My feet are killing me and little bubba is playing soccer with my belly button again." She chuckled, rubbing her stomach fondly.

Ginny let out a womanly squeal, jumped up from the bed and rushed to Hermione. She threw her arms around her and hugged her as tightly as she could, before looking down at the mound between them.

"Can I kiss my new nephew or niece goodnight?" she asked.

Harry smiled as Ginny planted butterfly kisses all over Hermione's belly and whispered something. It was very cute to see Ginny fawn over the part of the body Hermione had been whinging about for the past three months.

"Okay, than enough baby attention." Hermione said, shooing the redhead away.

Harry leant over and kissed her on the forehead. "Just go relax and I'll see you in the morning."

Once she had bid them both goodnight once more and walked delicately off down the hall to her room, Harry turned back to Ginny finding his discomfort of being alone with her intensify.

"So, er…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'll let you get settle then. If you need anything just come get me. Toilet's down the hall, and feel free to help yourself to anything in the kitchen if you get hungry and..."

Ginny smiled. "Harry, you're rambling."

"Oh, am I?" He laughed. "I'm just tired and I have a million witness reports to read before tomorrow and it's really boring and I'm being a horrible host and…"

"Rambling."

"Oh, right." Harry said, shutting his mouth. Ginny was smiling at him and he felt rather embarrassed.

_Urgh, I feel like I'm sixteen again_. He thought irritably. _I'm a 25 year old man, I should be past this. _

"Well, I'll see you in the morning then." Harry said.

Ginny leant against the doorframe as he walked off, shaking his head and muttering to himself. She giggled, shook her head as well and went back in her room to get changed.

* * *

It was a few hours later when Ginny found herself pacing back and forth in front of Hermione's closed door, dressed in her flannelette pajamas and her mind trapped a the whirlpool of indecision. It was late, and she knew she should be in bed. But she wanted to talk to Hermione, and was unsure whether she could disturb her at this hour.

Ginny stopped her pacing and looked at the door. She sighed, raised her hand and finally wrapped her knuckles against the door.

"Come in!" came her answer.

Ginny smiled and pushed the door inward. Hermione's bed was against the wall on the left and she was lying on the right side of the bed, propped up with several pillows and a book once again resting against her stomach.

She looked up and smiled at her friend in the doorway. "Finally. I was beginning to wonder if you were just going to stand out there and pace all night."

Ginny blinked. "How did you…" she stopped and smiled. "You know, it doesn't matter."

Hermione grinned and shifted a little. "Couldn't sleep huh?"

"No, but its nothing against here. Trust me; that bed is like a cloud!" Ginny moaned. "I'll get over it in a few nights."

"I understand." Hermione said. "Come on, sit down." She said, patting the side of the bed that must have belonged to Ron.

"Are you _sure_?" Ginny asked, although she really did want to. "I'm not keeping you up am I?"

"Oh no, that's junior's job here as of late." Hermione said, patting her belly. "Come on, keep me company."

"Thank you!" Ginny said happily, crossing to the bed with a slight skip to her step.

Hermione snorted as Ginny slid under the covers and wrapped her arm around Hermione, looking at the book she was reading with distant interest.

"You miss ickle Ronnikins?" Ginny asked.

"I do. I miss how when I wake up in the middle or the night, he props me up on some pillows and rubs my back." Hermione said, wondering what it was her husband was doing now. She shook herself and sighed. "So, how's what's-his-name? Evan wasn't it?"

"Evan, yes. Well, we broke up months ago actually right before he got a transfer to Albania to a Welsh Green reserve. The timing was rather good."

"Oh, sorry." Hermione said, closing her book and smiling apologetically at Ginny.

"Ah, think nothing of it." Ginny said, waving a hand casually. "It was better all around actually. My heart just wasn't in it… despite him possessing one of the finest bodies in the Northern Hemisphere."

Hermione laughed. "Hmm, I wouldn't say that. Your brother does possess a fine pair of pecks himself." She said suggestively.

"Ew! _Hermione_!" Ginny laughed, clapping a hand over her eyes. "You just increased my time in therapy by another 4 years!"

"Would you rather I talk about Harry's physique then?" Hermione offered, giving her friend a look.

Ginny chuckled and shook her head. "Jesus, I've been back for five minutes and already you're starting on me."

"I beg your pardon? I saw the way you were looking at him all through dinner, _and_ the way you followed him through the house at a conveniently slow pace so you could have a better view of his… 'Departing pose'." Hermione said slyly.

Ginny sat up and ran a hand through her hair with a smile. She did not, however, deny anything Hermione was pointing out.

"And besides, you're flirting with him so obviously that even Stevie Wonder would notice." Hermione added.

"Well then this Mr. Wonder, whoever the bloody hell he is, must be more attuned into this 'picking up signals' thing than Harry, because nothing I do seems to be grabbing his attention." Ginny said, feeling a little disappointed.

If the truth were told, yes, Ginny still had small (_large!_) feelings for her brother's best friend. How could she not? Over the years, her small girl crush had developed into something much larger; more intense. She had never spoken of it to anyone, but frankly it didn't surprise her at all that Hermione had figured it out.

"Oh believe me Ginny, he was definitely grabbing them. Er, that is… your advances." Hermione corrected herself quickly, blushing.

Ginny blew a stray strand of hair out of her face and rested her head in the heel of her hand, gazing up at Hermione. "Look, even if I did make myself more… _obvious_, there would be no point. It's been what, three years since we last saw each other? And even before that he hasn't shown any indication that he likes me in that way."

"Well, Harry's very good at hiding what he feels now adays." Hermione said. "But, maybe I can do a little undercover work. If you wanted."

"Undercover work?" Ginny laughed. "What are we, thirteen?"

"Do you want me to worm it out of him or not?"

"Yes! I do."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "Then this proves to be an interesting few weeks."

"Yes." Ginny said, staring off into space as plan after plan formed in her petite little head. "Yes it does."

* * *

A/N – I know there wasn't a lot of Harry, but I promise there will be. Just bare with me, for I am the queen of the slow-reveal!

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2. Nothing to say really, but… TA-DA!

* * *

Tired and grumpy, Harry dragged himself out of the comforting folds of his bed early the next morning and did his usual routine of stretching his arms, legs, back and neck before he faced another day at the office. It was a ritual he had built during his sixth year before his Quidditch games, and it had evolved into something he did every morning without fail.

Dressed in only pajama bottoms, he ruffled his hair into an even messier array and padded out of his room and down the hall toward the bathroom. He had a severe case of morning breath and it required immediate attention.

As he entered, he found the room to already be occupied by steam, a running shower and someone humming under their breath. Harry smiled and crossed to the sink.

"Morning." He called.

"Morning!" came his female response. "How did you sleep?"

Harry laughed and pulled out his toothbrush and toothpaste. "Me? What about you?"

"What _about_ me? I'm not the one whose mind is running a million miles an hour over some new case at the moment."

Harry snorted. "Id didn'd rook rike dat yeshterday." He said, his mouth full of paste as he brushed his teeth. It didn't bother him that he was in there while Hermione was in the shower. They had been in this situation heaps of times in the past for it to be awkward.

"Well, I'm trying to relax a little during my time off." She called. "Are you back to active duty again yet?"

Harry washed his mouth out and wiped his face with the towel. "I won't know until I get there. I hope so. Sitting at a desk is boring and uneventful and I could be doing far better things with my spare time than staring at the walls." He said, checking out his reflection.

She laughed and the water shut off. "Well, hopefully Tonks will show you mercy this morning. Pass me a towel will you?"

Harry grabbed the nearest one and held it out behind him. He heard the door slide open and felt a hand take it from him. "Well, she should. I'm her best field agent after all… and I'm likely to assign some trainee to canteen duty with all the paperwork skills I possess." He said, rolling his eyes.

"At least it's not as strenuous as NEWT's eh?" she laughed.

Harry suddenly froze. That was _not_ Hermione's laugh…

"Ginny!" he cried, spinning around.

Ginny, who had been bending down on the floor to sort out her clothes, looked up in slight surprise. "Yeah, who did you think it was?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

But Harry seemed temporarily incapable of speech. She was there in just a towel wrapped around her figure, hugging her in all the right places. Her hair was now a very dark shade of red as it hung drenched with water down her back.

He blinked, realizing that he was staring and smiled. "Sorry, I er… thought you were Hermione." He chuckled, ruffling his hair.

Ginny's eyebrows arched. "So, it's okay for you to stand in the bathroom with a married, pregnant woman in the shower, but not a single woman?" she asked, feeling confused at the logic.

Harry snorted. "Well, when you put it like that it _does _sound a little suss." He tried desperately not to stare at her cleavage, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. So instead, he clapped eyes on the thing on her right arm.

"You…you have a _tattoo_?" he croaked, feeling a little surprised. .

Ginny stood up and looked at the ink dragon on her upper arm with a smile. It was like a cartoon, and it was stretching its claws and breathing fire every few minutes. "Yeah, do you like it? I got it last year for my birthday. Mum totally flipped out when I told her." She chuckled.

Harry swallowed his heart back down and cracked a nervous smile. "Yeah. Its…nice." He said, not really knowing what else to say.

Ginny frowned and wrapped her towel tighter around herself. "You all right?"

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine." Harry said, acting a lot cooler than he felt.

_Get out before you do something rash_! His mind screamed. A beautiful woman standing in your bathroom wearing only a towel and dripping wet was a dangerous combination in itself, but when you threw one Ginerva Weasley in the mix…

"Well, er…" Harry stuttered, moving along the wall towards the door. "I'll just go now and… let you finish getting dressed." He said, giving her hips a glance.

Ginny's eyebrows rose at this abrupt suggestion. "You know, the way you're acting you'd think you've never seen a girl in a towel before." She said, folding her arms over her chest.

_Bloody hell!_ Harry's mind screamed as he tried not to look down at her chest. "I have, but that's not really the point now is it?" he laughed. "So, I'm going to do the gentlemanly thing and let you finish getting ready in peace." He said.

Ginny nodded. "Okay, get out then."

Harry smiled; feeling very relieved and exited the room quick smart.

Ginny waited until she was sure he had left, before snorting and letting her self-satisfaction surge through her like an adrenaline fix.

"Oh yeah." She sighed, gazing fondly at her tattoo once again. "Gets them every time."

* * *

Harry scribbled on the parchment in front of him absentmindedly, his chin resting on the heel of his hand. His mind was meant on be on task; on the paperwork, witness reports and previous offences scattered around him… but his thoughts seemed inexplicably drawn to an image. And image of an ink dragon on white skin.

He had tried to banish such thoughts, but there they were, swirling around in his minds eye like a provocative dance. It shouldn't be such a big deal to see a girl in a towel. It wasn't like had never seen a girl in less before… he had. But those girls had not had a tattoo on their arms. Those girls had not had fiery red hair and chocolate brown eyes.

Those girls had not been Ginny Weasley.

"Potter!"

Harry jumped so much that he ruined the drawing beneath his quill. He quickly pulled some reports over the drawings and smiled hastily and innocently up at the woman on the other side of his desk.

"Hey Tonks."

Nymphadora Tonks looked down at Harry with her hands on her hips and one of her eyebrows quirked. She had not changed at all since he had met her when he was fifteen, or since he had become a part of her team. She still wore her hair in outrageous colours and her dress code was still containing tight jeans and rock-punk tops. But for the workplace, she covered it up with robes.

"Potter,' she sighed, giving his work a glance. 'What are you doing?"

"Doing?" Harry laughed nervously, leaning on his work heavily. "N-nothing."

"That is obvious." She said, giving him a look. "Have you read over the Peregriene case yet?"

"Oh er…" Harry said, looking around for the said file. "Bugger, I had it here just a minute ago…"

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Harry, making out you cant file your reports properly is not going to make me put you back on active duty any faster."

"I know that." Harry snapped, opening drawers and looking under books. "I swear, I read it just last night! Urgh, it's probably back home." He said, putting his head in his hands.

"You leave top secret information lying around your _house_!" Tonks cried, amazed.

"Hermione and Ron would no sooner snoop in my work than divorce, nor would they let anyone else." Harry said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

Tonks frowned and looked at him for a moment. "Harry, is er… everything alright? You seem a little off target this morning."

Harry smiled and rubbed his face. "Nothing you need to worry yourself about I'm sure. You _are_ my superior after all."

She laughed. "Okay, now you _have_ to tell me." She said, pulling up a chair.

"Dora…" Harry groaned, feeling a headache coming on.

Tonks smiled. Harry was one of the few people in the world who was able to call her 'Dora' and get away with it. "Harry, just bloody tell me before you combust!"

Harry considered her for a moment, before sighing and putting his feet up on the desk. "Ginny's back." He said finally.

"Ah." Tonks sang knowingly, settling back in her seat. "I see."

Harry stared at her. He had been expecting her to be curious as to why this would be a problem, or to tell him to get his mind off visiting witches and back on his work. He had not been expecting her to say 'Ah, I see' like she knew exactly why this was a distraction for him.

"What's _that_ meant to mean?" he asked.

"Getting you all hot and bothered is she?" Tonks laughed, ruffling her short, green hair.

Harry spluttered and looked around to make sure no-one was listening. "I… she isn't… what would make you think that?" he demanded softly.

Tonks looked at him blankly for a moment, before leaning over the desk and shifting his papers away from the parchment he had been drawing on. There, in the middle of the parchment, was a small dragon exactly the same as Ginny's tattoo.

Harry blinked and looked up at the woman across from him. "How did you…"

"Ginny sent me a photo of it the day she got it. She couldn't stand no-one knowing, and she thought I might be interested." Tonks said simply.

Harry sighed and gave the drawing a glare. He hadn't even realized what he had been drawing. "I don't know why I keep thinking about her." He admitted quietly.

Tonks looked like she wanted to say something about this comment, but instead said "How long has she been back?"

"A day."

"Well, maybe you're just happy to see her. The novelty will wear off in a few days and you'll get used to her being around again." Tonks said.

"Yeah. Maybe." Harry said absentmindedly.

Tonks sighed and stood up. "Well, just incase it doesn't I have something to take your mind off the pretty red-head." When he looked up at her, she smiled. "You're back on active duty as of tomorrow. I can't stand you sitting there looking as if your dog's just died any longer."

Harry grinned so wide he was showing nearly every one of his teeth. "Are you serious?"

"No, but I _was_ his cousin of sorts. Now get back to work you pathetic war veteran!" she said, waving a hand and walking off.

Harry laughed and climbed on top of his desk. "Thank you Dora!" he called as she walked off down the hall. "You're the best!"

"Yes darling, I _know_!"

* * *

Ginny made her way out to the veranda out the back with a tray bearing two glasses and a pitcher of pumpkin juice levitated in front of her. Just beside the back door, Hermione was lounging on one of the banana chairs, her sunglasses resting snugly on her face as she read, yet again, another book.

"You know," Ginny said, placing the tray down on the small table beside Hermione 'it's a wonder you don't need glasses either with all the reading you do."

Hermione smiled as Ginny sat down on the chair beside her. "The same could be said about Ron and his Quidditch. I don't think I've met anyone as obsessed with it since Oliver Wood."

"Maybe his uniform was possessed." Ginny suggested, pouring them both a glass of juice.

The weather had been very pleasant over the past few days, and Hermione liked to be out in it, despite being slightly physically challenged. Today, the breeze was cool and comfortable and the sun was toasty, warming up the tips of her toes as they were the only part not shaded by the roof.

"So, what are our plans for tomorrow?" Ginny asked, putting on her own sunglasses and getting comfortable.

"Well, I was planning on sleeping in, then try and put on matching shoes, then pray to the 'Porcelain god' for about half an hour and then try and do some work. How about you?" Hermione said casually.

Ginny laughed. "Is being pregnant that bad?"

"Let me just say that Ron, not me, will be carrying the next one." Hermione said.

Ginny laughed and went to say something else, when the sound of the front door opening and closing grabbed her attention. The sound of heavy footfalls could be heard as someone shuffled around the house.

"Harry's home." Ginny said.

"Mmm." Hermione hummed, her eyes locked on her book.

Ginny tilted her head to the side and listened to the distant sounds of Harry moving around the house. With the odd scrape of a chair against the wooden floorboards and his heavy footfalls from his sneakers, she was just about to get up and welcome him home, when he strolled out the back door with a content smile.

"Ah, my two favorite ladies." He said happily.

Ginny blushed as she looked up at him. He was wearing a simple pair of track pants and a tight-fitting white t-shirt, making him look very inviting. The grin on his face was a cheeky one, and he looked very pleased about something.

Hermione didn't seem to notice his attractiveness however, as she simply marked her spot with her finger and smiled up at him. "_Someone's _in a good mood. Have a good day at the office did you?"

Harry's expression changed from happiness to a dreamy sort of calm. "Ah, that I did good lady. How was your day? Eventful?"

"Oh yeah, we were flat out, weren't we Hermione?" Ginny said, kicking off her sandals. "We did a ten mile run, and then did some shopping down in the village, and after that we did some table-top dancing for the wizards down at the Hogs' Head."

Hermione laughed. "Ginny forgot to take her medication this morning."

Harry snorted and looked at Ginny. Their gazes locked for a moment, each of them feeling a flutter before Harry shook himself and began stretching.

"Well, give me an hour and I'll start to get dinner ready." He said, backing away towards the back yard.

"You can't cook _again_!" Ginny argued. "Let me have a whack at it."

Harry smiled but didn't say anything. Instead, he walked out further until he was standing in the middle of the lawn, took in a deep breath and then began to do something Ginny had never seen before. It was like meditation, but moving. He looked relaxed.

"What's he doing?" Ginny muttered to Hermione, keeping her eyes locked on Harry.

Hermione looked up from her book at Harry. "Tai Chi. It's a form of exercise. He does it most afternoons after he comes home from work. Keeps him fit and energized."

Ginny nodded and leant back into her chair, watching Harry as he did his 'Chai Ti' thingy. It looked a little strange; he moved so slowly. But, at the same time she could kind of appreciate the art of it. It would take a lot of control to move that slowly and calmly without becoming impatient.

Not to mention she was getting a good change to admire his physique in a form that was strictly un-platonic. His muscles flexed as he moved and whenever he stretched or bent over, his shirt rode up a little giving her a good view of his belly. She watched him from behind her dark sunglasses without restraint, feeling herself getting a little warm under the collar.

"Goodness, do I have to hose you down?"

Ginny jumped and looked at Hermione beside her. She was smirking at Ginny with her glasses down on the end of her nose. And it was only then that Ginny realized her breathing had increased and her face was flushed.

She smiled and looked back at Harry. "Just admiring the scenery."

Ginny ignored Hermione's sniggers and crossed her legs, letting her attention now focus completely on Harry. She continued to watch him for the next ten minutes, entranced by his slow, even movements before he came to a finish. She expected him to saunter back towards the house for a shower, but instead he moved around to the back of the shed on the other side of the yard.

"Ooh, keep your eye on him." muttered Hermione suddenly. "This is always worth watching." She said.

Ginny opened her mouth to ask what she was on about, but Harry had reappeared, carrying a long wooden staff. In interest, but not wanting to look obvious, she let her head fall back and pretended to be dozing off.

_Thank god for these sunglasses_. She thought.

Harry wiped the sweat off his forehead and twirled the staff a little. He liked using it for some reason, and had been ecstatic when the Ministry had brought in the option of learning muggle martial arts. He felt it would do him good to learn some self defense that didn't warrant the need for a wand.

Grasping it a little tighter, he felt the shiver of someone's gaze on him. He looked out of the corner of his eye at Hermione and Ginny lounging over near the house. Hermione's nose was still in her book, so that left Ginny. Her head was back and she looked asleep, but her sunglasses hid the truth.

He tried not to stare, but it was rather difficult. She was wearing rather short shorts and a tight-fitting singlet top. And there was that dragon again. The figure that had taken all this attention away for the entire day…

Harry smirked and pretended not to notice her. Deciding to turn the tables a little, he held the staff in front of him and let it hover in thin air there for a moment as he took his shirt off and tossed it aside. Sensing her shift in position, he grabbed the staff and immediately began twirling it expertly around. He only wanted to show off a little.

"Sweet Merlin." Ginny muttered as she watched Harry, his face contorted in concentration, his torso twisting this way and that. "Where did he learn to do _that_?"

"The Ministry offered it to all Auror's as an option for their training. It meant extra work for him, but he didn't seem to mind. He's gotten really good at it too." Hermione said, watching Harry for a moment.

"Mmm." Ginny moaned, shifting a little once more. His torso was toned and flexing, perspiration dripping down his chest as he stepped, lunged, twirled and jabbed. It was more than enough to get her engine going just a little…

Ginny blinked and realized what she must look like. Her knees, which had been resting against each other, were slowly falling apart and her face was flushed. Her breathing had increased even more and she was now very obviously watching Harry work out.

"Um, listen…" she said, getting up quickly. "I've gotta go have a tinkle. I'll be back."

Hermione looked up at her as Ginny moved towards the back door. "Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah. Back in a sec."

Harry stopped for a moment and watched as Ginny got up, said something to Hermione and with one final look at him, retreated into the house. He smiled, looked down at his chest and flexed his pectorals and abs.

"Oh yeah," he muttered to himself. "Gets them every time."

* * *

"So Ginny, tell me more about what it is you actually do in Romania." Harry said.

The three of them were back outside after a light dinner, sharing in a nightcap while enjoying the warm breeze of the outdoors. The hum of noise from down in the village was carrying on the wind up the hill to where they sat outside under the veranda. It was, aside from this little fact, very peaceful, and they had not wanted to waste such a nice night by sitting indoors.

Ginny sat up from her lounging position and smiled at Harry beside her. "Well, it may be too technical for your little, primitive brain." She sang.

Hermione laughed and Harry let out an indignant splutter. "I beg your pardon? I happen to be one of the top Auror's in the Ministry at the present time. I'm sure your technical mumbo-jumbo will be quite simple enough for my pee-brain intelligence to understand." He said in a very good impersonation of Percy.

Ginny swirled her wine around in her glass and sighed. "Well, I'm part of Charlie's team as you know. I started out doing a lot of work experience in all type of areas within the camps. You know, feeding, talon clipping, observation, potion distribution… and then I got to choose what part I wanted to work in."

Hermione nodded. "Hands-on research."

"What's that involve?" Harry asked in keen interest.

"Well, not a lot is really known about the in-depth history of dragons. Sure, there are old testaments about them ransacking villages and taking maiden sacrifices and everyone knows that their scales have magical properties… but what do we really _know_ about them?"

"So you so research about their history?" Harry asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No, we do research about their _personality_. You know how Hagrid had Norbert?"

Hermione snorted and exchanged a look with Harry. "As if we could forget."

"Well, we all thought he was barmy trying to train him up, right?" Ginny said. "Turns out he had rather the right idea about it more than we did. We've been studying a local group of Norwegian Ridgebacks for a few years now, and we actually got some progress with communicating with them. Training them if you will."

Hermione and Harry's eyes widened. "But… you can't train Dragons." Hermione said, looking at Ginny as if she had gone mad.

"Not in the way you can train a dog to sit, or a bird to talk, no. But, we've discovered certain… 'methods' that can be used." Ginny said with a grin. She took a sip of her wine and looked out at the back yard pensively. "It took a lot of patience, scratches a lot of burnt fingers to get where we are, and even now – and Charlie agrees with me – we've only just scratched the surface of this."

Harry watched her as she smiled to herself, her eyes alight with a passion he had seen only once on Charlie's eyes. If she had been doing a lot of this 'hands on' work as she said, it definitely explained the excellent physical condition she was in.

Not that he had noticed or anything.

"You'd best not tell Hagrid about this breakthrough." Harry said. "He'd be over there like a shot, wanting to throw a leash around one of them."

Ginny and Hermione laughed and then the three of them fell into a content silence. Ginny rolled the neck of her glass in-between her fingers while gazing at her feet, Harry looked up into the sky, searching out the star 'Sirius'… and Hermione occupied herself by watching Ginny and Harry steal glances at each other every few seconds.

_God, they're so daft_. She thought to herself, rolling her eyes. _What is it going to take?_

"Well, I'm off to bed." Hermione announced, pushing herself up out of her chair with a grunt. "No, stay there." She added as Harry jumped up instantly to help her.

"Okay. Do you need anything?" Harry asked, watching Hermione sway a little with apprehension.

"Yes, but nothing you can give me without it being considered adultery."

Ginny laughed as Harry rolled his eyes. "And there adds another few years to my time in therapy."

"That definitely comes under the 'Info I didn't need to know' category, Hermione." Harry said, opening the back door for her.

"Well, you asked! Now, play nicely you two." She said, giving Ginny a look. "No biting."

Harry snorted, missing the exchange between the two women. "We'll try and resist the insane urge to gnaw on each other." He said flatly.

Hermione slid the door closed behind her and began walking off towards her bedroom, smiling as she heard the uncomfortable silence seeping from the back yard between her two best friends.

"I am the meat in an idiot sandwich." She muttered, shaking her head.

* * *

A/N – A little short, but hopefully still enjoyable. If I start slacking between updates, I apologize! Life keeps getting in the way lately, and I get no privacy in which to write these stories.

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3! This story may be a little shorter than I expected, as I don't want you all to have to wait thirty chapters for something to happen!

* * *

It had now been three days since Ginny had been back, and Harry had finally drawn a conclusion about her presence.

She was going to be the end of him.

Everything about her seemed to grab a hold of his attention and refuse to let it go. The way she brushed her long red hair, she way she laughed after being told a particularly amusing joke or story, the way the corner of her lip was always quirked upwards in a mocking smile…

Harry shook himself and brought himself back to the task at hand. It would not do him good to be thinking about Ginny and how soft her skin looked while he was attempting to do the shopping. He was likely to pick up some Turpentine instead of vinegar.

He liked his time alone at the supermarket. And yes, while he knew it was rather a feminine tendency to possess, he still liked the atmosphere of it. He had never been allowed to go shopping by himself as a kid while Dudley had been given ten pounds a week to spend on sweets. Whenever he did go, he was forced to keep hold of the cart while Aunt Petunia pushed it around, all the while listening to her scolding him about his disheveled appearance.

So, leaving the girls back at home to have some time to themselves, he had apparated to a safe point just outside the local shopping centre, grabbed himself a shopping cart and went about the weekly chore. Ginny had offered to come, but Harry told her it wasn't necessary.

Well, it wasn't a total lie.

He had meant what he told Tonks; he couldn't get her out of his head. She was like a fog that resided over everything he had kept in sharp focus these past few years, clouding his vision and demanding his attention. A big, red-headed, sexy looking fog.

_No, stop it_. Harry thought for not the first time in the past week. _Ginny is not for you. You have other things to be worrying about right now. The Peregriene case for starters_…

It was true. This case was a new and time-consuming one to solve and it needed all his concentration to sort it out. It was big with underworld figures, and he didn't need the distraction of his teenage fantasies getting in the way.

As he turned into the next aisle, he shook his head and growled at his lack of priorities. For so long he had been focused on the job, each case being settled then straight onto the next one. Women – although he had been with a few – had not been the top priority. It had been his job. He was the job. It gave him purpose and made him happy.

But then why was he obsessing over Ginny?

_I'm just happy to see her._ Harry thought, selecting peanut from the shelf and putting it in the cart. _Yeah, that's all. It would be the same if I hadn't seen Hermione in three or four years. _

Finding himself happy with this conclusion, Harry smiled to himself and headed off down the aisle with a spring in his step, determined to find some marshmallows.

* * *

"Let's go dancing tonight!"

Hermione looked up from her work at Ginny as she danced across the table. "I'm sorry, could you say that again? I don't think _the baby in my belly heard you_!" Hermione yelled.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "And I thought Ron was the sarcastic one in your marriage."

"Well, did you really expect me to get dolled up in my jeans and a tight fitting top and dance with you? And you were meant to be the smart one in the Weasley family." Hermione said, going back to her work.

Ginny blew air out of her lips, pulled the chair out and sat down heavily. "I'm bored Mione." She whined.

"Well, take Harry with you." Hermione said with a grin.

Ginny ignored her. "Come on, we used to pull all nighters! You remember that? Dragging out arse's into bed at six in the morning…"

Hermione smiled. "I _do _remember that. But that was before I became classified as one and a half people Ginny. And while I would like to go out – god knows I could do with a stiff drink half of the time – I couldn't stand it." She said apologetically.

Ginny put her chin in her hand and looked at Hermione with pity. "Why do you bother with it then? This children thing?"

"Because it's going to be worth it in the end." Hermione said simply. "Look, aside from the aches and the nausea and the sleepless nights and the cramps…"

"You know, fascinating as all that is, it's really not convincing me that this' she said, pointing at Hermione's belly 'is a good deal." Ginny giggled.

Hermione rolled her eyes and smiled. "The way you talk, it's as if you don't want kids."

"I do." Ginny said defensively. "Just…not right now. Besides, I would like to find a _guy_ first. You know, get married, have a Honeymoon…they need to have some input."

"Yes, sadly." Hermione agreed with a laugh. "Inconvenient little things they are."

"Oh,' came a male voice from the doorway ', surely we aren't _all_ like that."

Ginny smiled around at Harry as he levitated ten or so shopping bags into the kitchen, giving both women a toothy grin as he passed them.

"Well, I wouldn't know." Ginny said, getting up to help him. "I haven't taken you for a test drive yet." She said.

Harry snorted, totally oblivious to Hermione watching them. "Well, whenever you want to take me for a ride let me know. Er – that is…" he stuttered as the realization of what he just said hit him.

Ginny was staring at him with a smirk, but Hermione was clutching her belly she was suppressing her laugher that hard. Harry blushed so hard he was almost the colour of the tomato he was holding.

Ginny quirked an eyebrow, looking anything but embarrassed or insulted. "Okay. If I ever get the urge for a '_ride_', you'll be the first one I call." She said slyly, taking the tomato out of his hand and giving him a wink.

Harry laughed nervously, trying desperately not to take her promise to heart.

CRACK.

"Hello? Wife? Where is my wife?" came another familiar male voice.

All three residents looked at each other in confusion for a moment, before the one and only Ronald Weasley waltzed into the room, his Quidditch duffle bag lopped over his shoulder and a wide grin on his face.

"Ron!" Ginny screamed. She leapt over the counter top and threw herself at her brother.

Ron, whose eyes had landed immediately on Hermione as soon as he had arrived, looked stunned as he found himself in a tight hug with his little sister.

"_Ginny_?" he laughed, hugging her while feeling confused.

"Ron!" Harry cried.

"Harry." Ron smiled over his sister's shoulder. "Hermione." He said.

"Ron." Hermione said, getting up.

"Well, now that we've all introduced ourselves properly…" Ron said, dropping his bag and prying his sister off him. "What the bloody hell are _you_ doing here?"

"Gee, great to see you too big brother." Ginny huffed, putting her hands on her hips.

"No, I am happy to see you!" Ron laughed, ruffling his hair. "It's just… er…why aren't you at work?"

"She's on holiday." Harry said, coming forward to greet Ron properly. "Great to have you home mate. Finally, we can tip the scales of testosterone a little in our favor." He muttered.

Ron laughed as Hermione finally got up. "Okay, move aside…lady with a baby coming through." She said, waving her hands dismissively.

Harry and Ginny stepped aside and exchanged a smile as Ron and Hermione embraced warmly, sharing a small, tender kiss. The moment gave Harry a flashback to their wedding day, just after they had been pronounced husband and wife.

"Mmm, I missed you." Ron said, giving Hermione a kiss on the forehead.

"And we missed you." Hermione said, giving her belly an indicative tap.

"We?" Ron asked, bewildered.

Hermione gave him a look.

"Oh! _We_!" Ron laughed, dropping to his knees. "Hello my beautiful little baby. Did you miss daddy?" he cooed to Hermione's belly.

Harry and Ginny rolled their eyes, but Hermione smiled down at her husband as if it were the cutest thing she had even seen in her life.

Harry, although he wouldn't say it out loud, was immensely glad that Ron was back. He had missed his best friend in the short time had been away, and while Hermione was great company, and then Ginny… they just weren't the same as Ron.

Ginny watched as Harry slipped back into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner. She watched his face as Ron and Hermione sat back down to discuss Ron's trip. Harry looked a little sad, yet determined.

"…and then the fans were going nuts. I mean, who would have thought that there would be English fans in the crowd, let alone Cannon's fans. It was mad; I've signed so many pieces of parchment I feel like I'm the Minister of Magic." Ron was saying.

Ginny smiled and got up to help Harry. "I'll be sure to pass that on to Dad."

"Oh Harry, don't cook anything." Hermione said suddenly.

Harry stopped short of making the first slice through the onion and blinked. "What? Shall we all just go hungry then?"

"No, we'll order in. Ron's just gotten home and surely you don't want to stand in the kitchen the whole time." Hermione said.

Ron looked a little taken aback. "Harry's been cooking?"

Harry considered them all for a moment, before sighing and making everything vanish with a few spells. He smiled and summoned his cloak.

"Alright then. I'm just going to go out and get something light. I'm not all that hungry." He said, doing his cloak up. "Ginny? You want to come?"

"But, Ron just got back and…" she stopped at the look Harry was giving her. "Oh, right. Yeah. I'm not all that peckish either." She said, getting the point.

"Oh, are you sure?" Ron asked as Ginny went to get her cloak as well.

"Oh yeah. I'll just go for a stroll around the village and be back later." Harry said.

Ginny came back moments later and the two of them left with a final 'have a good night'.

As soon as they were out the door, Ron turned to Hermione. "So? Are they together yet?"

Hermione sighed. "Sadly no. But I'm working on it."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Bloody hell, they're so vacant up stairs sometimes. Its bloody obvious, and it has been so since we were sixteen years old!"

Hermione grabbed the front of his robed and pulled him down. "Enough about them. More about me sugar daddy." She purred.

Ron smirked. "Ah yes, I think I like this topic better.

* * *

Harry laughed and shook his head as they walked away from the house up the road that led to the town. Ginny quirked an eyebrow and looked up at him.

"What's so funny?"

"Queen of subtly you are. Cant you tell when I'm trying to give you a hint?" Harry asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

"Well, how was _I_ supposed to know? I thought you would've wanted to spend more time with Ron after so much time apart." Ginny laughed.

"Five days is hardly a long stretch of time Ginny." Harry said. "Besides, the wife and baby do come first. They're family after all."

Ginny looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Does it get to you sometimes?"

"Come again?"

"You know, living with a married couple with a baby on the way. Don't you ever feel a little… excluded?" she asked carefully.

Harry smiled down at her, as she looked very apprehensive, as if he were going to snap at her for being to intrusive. But, she needn't have worried. She was probably one of the only people he didn't mind sharing such information with.

"Well see, there's a bit of a loophole there." He said. "I'm not living with them. Technically, _they're_ living with _me_."

Ginny looked confused. "Okay, explain this one to me."

Harry chuckled. "That house is mine. I bought it as soon as I moved out from Remus's flat, and Ron and Hermione moved in with me. After they were married, they said they were going to move to give me some more space, but I could see that they really couldn't. They didn't have enough money for the house they wanted and I didn't want them living in some two-room flat with a cat and an owl and one day a family. So, I told them to stay with me. They're moving out soon though, a really nice place just outside London."

Ginny nodded. "Wow. I never knew that." She said. "I thought you three went into equal share."

"No, its mine. Although we like to keep up the façade that we did indeed split it three-ways." Harry said. "So, where did you want to eat?"

Ginny blinked. How did anyone have such compassion and discretion in their bodies? And for a male! Harry Potter truly was a unique wizard.

"Ginny?" Harry asked again.

"Oh, um… Three Broomsticks?"

Harry smiled. "Sounds great."

Ginny giggled as he stuck his elbow out and she slid her arm through his, walking with him down the hill into the bustle of Hogsmeade.

* * *

Harry and Ginny stumbled out of the Three Broomsticks a good three hours later, laughing hard and holding onto each other for support. The air was warm and quiet… until they began singing at the top of their lungs.

_We are the pride of Gryffindor, we were robes of red and gold  
__We will always fight for victory, like the Gryffindors of old,  
__All for one and one for all,  
__We will answer to the call.  
__We're the lions, we're the lions,  
__You will hear our might roar! _

After they had finished singing the Gryffindor team song, they fell into another round of laughter as more cheering from students in the pub followed them out the door.

Apparently, Gryffindor had beaten Ravenclaw by one hundred points in the Quidditch final only hours ago, and all the seventh and sixth years had come down to the pub to celebrate. Ginny and Harry had been in the middle of dinner when the rowdy group of teenagers had entered, singing loudly for the entire town to hear. And once Harry had found out the good news, he ordered a round for the entire pub to celebrate.

"Well, as if you weren't popular enough…" Ginny laughed, her arm still around Harry as they walked up the empty street.

Harry sniggered and rolled his eyes. "All I did was get them a pint of Butterbeer each, nothing terribly exciting like breaking open Zonko's and letting everything loose."

"Ah, and getting them tipsy from Butterbeer was of course the better option."

Harry smiled and shoved her playfully. "I didn't hear _you_ complaining. How many did you have again? Seven? Eight?"

"It was three, Mr. Exaggerate."

They let out another hearty laugh, before sobering up and falling into a content silence. It took every once of control for Ginny not to take Harry's hand in hers and snuggle into him. The night was warm, and having a handsome man on your arm seemed to suit the scene perfectly. He had seemed a lot more at ease with her tonight than he had been the previous few days. Perhaps he was finally getting back into the swing of having her around.

Ginny frowned as she suddenly felt Harry's demeanor shift. He had become very still all of a sudden, and when she looked up at his face she saw it had gone oddly blank.

"Harry? What's…"

"Shh." He hissed, not looking at her. "We're being followed. Act normal." He whispered flatly.

Ginny felt a wave of nervousness wash over her, but did as he commanded. Indeed, now that she took notice instead of day-dreaming, she could hear footsteps moving closely, yet erratically behind them, as if the person were pausing every few seconds to duck behind somewhere and hide again. She looked around and saw that they were very much alone.

And just as she opened her mouth to ask Harry something else, he had shoved her sharply aside into a nearby bush at the exact same time a gravely voice behind them shouted "_Incarcerous_!"

Ginny looked around, dazed as the spell went flying past her and sound of a scuffle began to take hold. "Harry?" she cried, getting up.

And she saw him. Harry had blocked the spell so fast she hadn't even seen him get his wand out. The man who had been following them, fell back into shadow and turned right to run down an alley way.

"Hold it!" Harry roared. He lifted his wand and out of it came a flame-like lasso. Harry cracked it like a whip and it caught the man around the ankles, bringing him crashing to the ground.

Harry advanced on him, but the man was up again. "_Relashio_!"

"_Protego_!" Harry shouted. And the spell ricocheted off Harry's shield into a tree, splintering the bark and smoldering it. "_Pertrificus Totalus_!" Harry shouted.

Ginny leapt into the alleyway after Harry just in time to see the silhouette of the man in the long trench coat snap into a solid statue and collapse heavily into a pile of rubbish at the end of the alley with a loud crash.

Harry glared at the figure for a moment, before drawing himself up and striding over to him. "Stay there Ginny." he said without turning around.

Ginny stood at the entrance to the alleyway, watching on in silence as Harry knelt down beside the figure and pointed his wand at his throat.

Harry glared down at the man, not able to make his face out in the dark. "_Lumos_." He commanded. The top of his wand shot out a beam of light and illuminated the man. From the entrance to the alley, Ginny could see that he was in his late thirties with an unshaven, thick face and dark hollow eyes. He looked very annoyed… and a little scared.

But Harry actually smiled. "_Benson_?" he laughed disbelievingly. "Jesus, what the bloody hell are you doing here? _Partiona Finite_."

The man let out a breath as if he had been holding it and glared up at Harry, his body still frozen in a body bind but his head now free. "Potter." He spat.

Harry smiled, although it did not reach his eyes. "Benson, you should know better than to sneak up on men in the middle of a deserted street." He said softly, but deadly. "Terrible things could happen."

The man Benson looked over Harry's shoulder and laughed as Ginny slowly crept into view. "Interrupt a date with the little lady, did I?"

"You pay her no notice Benson." Harry snapped, pushing his wand harder against the man's neck. Benson's smile was wiped instantly off his face. "Now, what did you want to attack me for?"

"Attack? _Y-You_?" Benson laughed nervously, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "Now, how do thick do you think I am? You know I wouldn't have attacked I had've known it was you Harry."

"Yes, you would have." Harry sneered. "As long as the price was big enough."

"No!" Benson cried. "I wasn't sent. I-I was just after some gold is all. Just some finance…"

Ginny watched on in amazement. She had never seen anyone cower before Harry like this before, as if absolutely terrified of him. And Ginny could definitely see why this man would be. Harry was exhuming so much magic the very air was pulsating with it. His face was cold and accusatory as he grabbed Benson by the front of his coat and dragged him up into a sitting position.

"So mugging some innocent bystander is your defense?" Harry laughed bitterly. "This isn't making me any happier to see you Benson."

"No… I mean… _argh_!" he suddenly cried out in pain.

Harry frowned and looked down to see a spot of red, stick substance just under Benson's ribs. He had cut himself on a broken piece of glass in the pile of trash he had fallen in. Harry exhaled slowly through his nose, debating on his next move.

"Well, seen as we're talking… tell me what you know about Augustus Peregriene." Harry said.

Benson suddenly went a little white. "P-Peregrine?" he stuttered. "Never heard of him."

Harry smiled. "Come now Benson, lets not dawdle. Surely you can be a good boy and not make me resort to 'other' methods of persuasion." He said, taking his wand and jabbing it a little in the wound.

Benson let out a cry of pain. "Okay… okay… maybe I have heard of him." He admitted, his voice strained. "You know, on the grapevine. You hear these names popping up out of no-where lately… wizards hoping to be the next head of the house."

Harry grit his teeth. "Tell me what you know about him and his dealings."

"I-I don't know any – OW!" Benson cried as Harry poked him again. "Argh, _Christ _Potter…"

"I can stand here all night Benson." Harry sang.

"Okay, maybe I do know something."

"Maybe?" Harry urged, tightening his grip on the front of Bensons coat.

Ginny watched on, her arms wrapped around herself at the realization of what she was seeing. This was a side of Harry she had never thought possible. He was scary, intimidating and very powerful. She wanted him to look at her and smile reassuringly, but his attention was solely on the man in front of him.

Benson clamped his eyes shut, clearly in pain and took a few slow breaths.

"The sooner to tell me what I want to know the sooner you get patched up Benson." Harry said.

"Okay! Okay!" Benson cried angrily, looking even more pale. "But… you have got give me asylum or something. If he knows I ratted him out… he'll kill me."

"Done." Harry said instantly. "Now talk."

Benson let out a strangled sigh of relief, and then spoke in a hushed whisper. "Peregrine…I seen 'im in London the other day. You know – ah bugger, what's it called? – the place with all them pigeons."

"Trafalgar Square?" Harry asked, interested.

"Yeah, that's it. Anyways, he was conversin' well outta sight. I only saw him by coincidence. He was in one of them abandoned factories just a short distance away from the square, meeting up with a large group of chaps."

"By himself?"

"No, with his goonies. Anyways, they were dealing stuff. I saw the exchange."

Harry frowned. "Dealing? Who was the group?"

"They weren't wizards, I'll tell you that. They were muggles…drug lords or whatever they called."

Harry blinked in surprise. "Muggle Drug Lords eh?" he said more to himself_. Hmm, that's something we didn't know_ he thought. "Okay, what is it he's dealing them?"

"Potions. You know, for their drugs. They brew the potions and then pass it on to them muggles to mix it into whatever it is they're makin'."

"What potions?" Harry growled.

"What? You think I know – _ow_!" he cried as Harry poked him in the wound again. "Argh! Okay, _alright_… it's a basic hallucinogenic. You know, Belladonna to relax and a bit of Dragon's blood too."

"What's _that_ for?" Harry asked.

"How the hell should I know?" Benson snapped. "Come on now, let me go…"

"Ginny?"

Ginny jumped as Harry addressed her over his shoulder. "Y-yeah?" she whispered, taking a tentative step forward.

"Do you know why anyone would want Dragon's blood?"

"Well, many reasons. But muggles? I can't imagine what _they_ would need it for." Ginny said. "I could find out for you."

Harry nodded, still looking at Benson. "Anything else?" he sneered at the wizard.

"No! No that's all I know I swear. I swear…" he muttered, his breathing more ragged with the pain.

Harry considered him for a long moment, before sighing and letting his interrogation façade drop away a little. He sat back on his heels and took his wand away from the wound.

"If I release you from this, will you be good and not try to attack me again?"

Benson coughed out a laugh. "As if I'd take _you_ on, let alone in this state." He said, casting a glance at his side.

Harry smiled the faintest of smiles, before taking off the body bind spell and helping the injured criminal to his feet. He slung his arm over his shoulders and held him up with a grunt.

"I really am sorry about ruining your date Potter." Benson muttered.

Harry smirked and looked at Ginny. She was hanging in the shadows, looking quite nervous. Harry smiled reassuringly at her, and she seemed to calm instantly.

"Listen um, I've gotta drop him off at headquarters for some medical attention. Can you get home by yourself?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It is only up the hill, Harry." She said.

Harry nodded. "Alright, I'll be home later. You ready?" he asked Benson, summoning an old milk carton and turning it into a Portkey.

"I'll live… no thanks to you." Benson growled at Harry, giving him a glare.

Ginny smiled as they left moments later and she herself apparated straight back to the house, feeling a little shook up.

She hung her cloak up near the door and ran a shaky hand through her hair. What she had just seen had been an image she had not seen since the war, when Harry had been on the front line. What she had seen tonight was intimidating, amazing and awe-inspiring all in the same package. So that's what Harry was like on the job? And she quite agreed with that man Benson… she would have much rather run in the other direction than take Harry on.

She walked into the living room and smiled as she spotted her brother and sister-in-law on the sofa. His head was in the crook of her shoulder and his arm around her massive belly, and her head was resting on his, both of them fast asleep.

So, resolving to wait for Harry in her room, Ginny left the couple in peace and trotted off down the hall, her mind still abuzz with all she had just witnessed.

* * *

A/N – I wanted to give you all an insight in the kick-ass Harry we all know is there. I hope it was good enough! And the Gryffindor Team song is actually the song for the Brisbane Lions football club, and I changed a few of the words.

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4. So, here we go again! Let's see if I can turn things up a little…

* * *

Harry walked out of his room late the next morning down to the kitchen and smiled as he found himself pleasantly not the only occupant in the house. Ron was sitting at the table, his back to Harry.

He yawned and clapped Ron on the back as he passed through to the kitchen. "Morning mate."

"Hey." Ron smiled. "What are you doing home this time of day?"

"I was working late last night and didn't get home until rather early this morning, so Tonks gave me the day off to catch up on some much needed sleep." Harry said.

"That was nice of her." Ron said. "But then again, she always has had a soft-spot for her Golden Boy, now hasn't she?"

"Shut it you." Harry smiled. He summoned some bread from the cupboard, prodded it with his wand and it toasted instantly. "So, where's the Blimp?"

"At her folks. I'm actually heading over there myself… just as soon as I get all this done." Ron said, indicating the papers in front of him.

Harry frowned and cocked his head to the side, trying to read. "What's all this then?"

'Finances, loan rates, potential properties… stuff I really don't want to do but needs going over. I wanted it done before I catch up with Hermione, otherwise she'll have kittens over it." Ron said, writing some figures down on a scrap bit of parchment.

"Kitten's eh? And here I was thinking she was having a human baby. Hmm, makes you wonder what she and Crookshanks _really _did in their spare time, doesn't it?" Harry said with a smirk.

Ron looked at Harry in amazement. "I can't believe you just said something like that to me." He said in a somewhat awed tone.

"It was payback for that 'Golden Boy' comment." Harry said, sitting down adjacent to his friend.

Ron laughed, shook his head and went back to his work. Harry munched away at his toast for a few minutes, going over his plans for his day off when he came back to a nagging thought that had been in the back of his mind since the night before.

"So, have you seen Ginny this morning?" Harry asked casually.

"Yeah, she left not ten minutes ago. Said something about going for a run to clear her head… although I can't imagine why. She did seem a little distant at breakfast though." Ron said, staring off into space.

Harry nodded. "Just ten minutes?"

"Yeah." Ron said, watching Harry stand up and send his plate back to the kitchen. "Thinking of going after her are you?"

"I might be." Harry said, not looking Ron in the eye.

"Ah, I wouldn't."

Harry blinked and looked down at Ron. "And why is that?"

Ron shrugged. "She looked like she needed some time alone. You know how women get… they need their 'Alone time' to meditate or brood or whatever it is they claim they don't do."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Bloody women."

"Amen to that." Ron said.

"If she has a problem why can't she just say so?" Harry cried. "These women…honestly. And they reckon _we _bottle everything up! Gees, I can't for the life of me understand the inner workings of your little sister."

"Now you're trying to figure Ginny out?" Ron laughed. "Good luck to you my friend… better you loosing your sanity than me."

Harry smiled. "You have no idea." He muttered.

"Look, you want to go after her? Be my guest. But a lifetime of experience tells me to warn you to leave her be. Going after her with wands ablazing won't get a confession out of her any faster." Ron said.

Harry sighed. "Fine. In that case, I'll just go get dressed and do a little paperwork out the back."

"Okay, well I'm going soon anyway."

"Tell 'Maternity Barbie' I said hi."

"Will do."

* * *

Ginny smiled and fell onto the grass as she caught her breath. Her run had been exhilarating and just what she needed to take the time to think, and to get some of her nerves out of her system. Oh yes, nerves. But what did she really feel nervous about?

It can't have been totally what she had seen last night. She had seen Harry like that before…maybe even worse. The night of the final battle between Harry and Voldemort was still fresh in her – and everyone else involved – mind's eye. Harry had projected such power, anger, intimidation and determination that night to the likes no-one had ever imagined he possessed.

So why did him simply interrogating someone make her feel a little nervous around him? She knew Harry. He was not the type of person who would hurt someone for pleasure or act horrible to another human being… unless they deserved it.

Ginny rubbed her face and looked at the house beside her. She had collapsed in the back yard, hoping Harry would have already gone to work. Ron had said he hadn't seen Harry that morning… perhaps he had gone in early…

"Ginny? That you?"

She jumped and looked up to see Harry standing over her, a smile on his face as looked down at her. Ginny laughed, rolled over and leapt up onto her feet.

"Oh, yes. How could you tell?"

"Well the red hair was kind of a give-away." Harry said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "How was your run?"

"Oh… great." Ginny said, forcing a smile. "Yeah, just what I needed. How did you know?"

"I just saw Ron, he told me."

"Ah, I see."

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment, before Ginny cleared her throat and ran a hand through her ponytail.

"So er… why aren't you at work today?" she asked.

"Got the day off." Harry said simply.

"Ah, good."

Harry's eyes narrowed and he took a step toward Ginny. "Listen, are you alright after what happened last night?"

"Last night?"

"Yeah. Is er, everything okay?"

Ginny snorted. "What? Of course it is! Why wouldn't it be?" she laughed.

Harry gave her a look.

She sighed. "Am I so transparent?"

He smiled. "No, I'm just a keen observer." He said. "You want to talk about it?"

"What is there to talk about?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

Ginny considered him for a moment, before rubbing her eyes and sitting back down on the lawn. "Is your friend alright? You know, that guy Benson?"

"Yeah, he's fine." Harry said, sitting down with her. "The physician fixed him up quick smart and he was back out on the street by dawn. And he's not my friend." Harry added darkly.

"It sure seemed like it."

Harry smiled and leant back on his hands. "We're not friends, nor are we enemies. Its one of those complicated relationships that you just don't question its existence. We help each other out in sticky situations… like you saw last night."

"You call poking someone who's in pain helping them out?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry as if she had never met him before.

Harry frowned. "Is that what this is about? Me being a little brutal?" he asked.

Ginny smiled. "No, of course not."

"You know, you're not a very good liar Ginny." Harry said, quirking an eyebrow.

"I am so." Ginny said like quite the five year old.

"You might be… but not to an Auror like myself." Harry whispered, giving her a wink. "Look, I don't know what you've been thinking, but you can talk to me about it. I know it's a little different for me to act that way…"

"A _little_?" Ginny laughed. "Yes, okay, I admit it. I felt a little scared. I've only ever seen you behave that way once in your entire life, and that is a time I'd rather not think about, nor need any reminder of."

"Yeah, I know."

"But then _why_?" Ginny asked. "Why did you act like that?"

Harry ruffled his hair and smiled. "Look, you need to understand how it is out there in the field. My name carries a lot of emotion with it. Anger, irritation…sometimes even fear. And I use that. It's all drama Ginny. Flash my scar at them and they flake, say my name and they cower. I reserve no niceties when it comes to some of these people, and if flaunting what power I have gets what I need out of them… then I'll do it." He said.

Ginny looked at him. He looked a little saddened that his life had come to making people scared of him, and yet determined that this was what he was meant to do with his life.

"So… you just acting the big, mean Potter? You don't really like it?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say I always hate it. Sometimes – as horrible as this is going to sound – it gives me a little thrill." Harry said with a small smile. "I'm powerful Ginny, there's no denying it. I'm not saying it to boost my ego – it's a fact. And if it helps rid the world of monsters like the sort I deal with every day, then I see no harm in using it."

Ginny smiled at him. _This_ was her Harry. The awkward, yet focused and driven man she knew and loved.

"So, does that make you feel better?" Harry said. "Knowing that I'm not going to attack you in the middle of the night, demanding answers?"

Ginny laughed, feeling a little stupid for ever feeling uncomfortable around him. "I'm sorry."

"Think nothing of it." Harry said, feeling better that now they no-longer felt awkward.

Well, about one less thing that is.

Harry looked up at the cloudless, blue sky and squinted against the sun. It was rather warm and being outdoors seemed like a good idea, but he didn't really feel like having a work out yet.

He looked at Ginny – who was pulling out blades of grass – and smiled. "Would you like to see a movie with me?"

"A movie?"

"Yeah, and then we can grab some lunch afterwards or something. Come on, I'll shout. They sky's the limit… about,' he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some money '20 pounds."

Ginny laughed. "Big spender."

Harry threw her a look and stood up. "Come on, let's spend the day together and annoy one another in the way only we know how."

Ginny looked at his outstretched hand and bit her lip.

"It'll be fun." Harry smiled.

She smiled, finally took his hand and let him pull her up. "Okay, you've convinced me. I just have one question."

"Yeah?"

"What's a movie?"

* * *

Harry patted Ginny awkwardly on the back, smiling apologetically at the people who passed as Ginny sobbed relentlessly into the crook of his neck.

"Ginny, calm down." Harry soothed. Everyone within the vicinity was either giving him looks of sympathy, or looks of confusion.

"It was… s-so sad Harry…" Ginny cried, her tears soaking Harry's shirt.

"Yeah, but it was only a movie." He said softly, steering her away from the entrance to the cinema out into the street.

Ginny looked up at him, her eyes red and her cheeks streaked with tears. "Only a movie? That was the best movie I've ever seen!"

"It's the _only_ movie you've ever seen!"

"I was still sad." She said, throwing her arms around him again. "They loved each other so much, and after everything…" she broke down once more.

Harry bit his tongue against commenting again and just let her cry herself out. He had had previous experience with women crying, and nothing he did seemed to make them stop. If anything, it increased the leak within them.

"Listen, um…how about we go for a walk?" he said.

Ginny sniffed and nodded, finally releasing him. "Yes, that sounds nice." She said, her voice still a bit shaky.

Harry smiled, sighing to himself in relief and they began to walk down the street towards a park a few blocks away. "Perhaps your first movie should have been a happier one." He chuckled.

"You mean they're not all sad?"

"Of course they're not! There's comedy and drama and mystery and romance…"

"Romance?" Ginny asked, looking at Harry excitedly. "Take me to see one of them?"

Harry laughed. "Ginny, you just saw one of the most emotional movies of recent times. I doubt you need anymore drama anytime soon. Next time I'll take you to see a funny one." He said.

"And what was that one called again?" she asked.

"The Notebook."

"Ah yes. 'The Notebook'." She recited, nodding to herself. "A fantastic movie. I can't believe that there were barely any guys in there though."

"Hmm, I can." Harry muttered.

"What's that meant to mean?" Ginny asked indignantly. "That was a bloody good movie! Just because it was a little mushy and romantic and…"

"And there, you just said the magic words." Harry said. "Guys don't want to see movies full of mush and tears. They want action! Cars and guns and half-naked women…"

"Oh yes, that's a wonderful mixture." Ginny said flatly.

"It is for men."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Can you honestly tell me you didn't enjoy that just a teensy weensy little bit?" she asked.

Harry sighed. "Okay, yes, it was alright. It was a good story." He said. "But I didn't see the need to set a hole in your plumbing over it."

"It wasn't just sad." Ginny said. "It was so _beautiful_. He loved her so much and she him. It makes you all warm inside, you know. I want my marriage to be like that… hell, even just to have someone _look _at me that way would be good enough."

"Hmm." Harry agreed flatly.

"Why are you cynical about romance?" Ginny demanded.

"I'm not cynical."

"Yes you bloody are! You have this attitude to dating that I've never seen before." Ginny said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "You know, this is not really a conversation I want to be having."

"I'll drop it when I get to the bottom of it. When was the last time you went on a date then Harry?"

"Like I have to tell you!" Harry snapped a little harshly.

But Ginny wasn't deterred. However, she was taking his lack of romance and defeatist attitude to dating as a personal insult. "Have you even had a girlfriend since school?"

"Of course I have. Jesus Ginny, I'm not a hermit locked up in my house." Harry said.

"Well, I haven't heard anything about a girl in your life since I've been back. You're obviously single, not to mention one hell of a guy… why in Merlin's name aren't you out there mixing?"

Harry stopped his walking, get out a grunt of annoyance and raised his hands to either side of her face as if to choke her. "Ginny,' he started, before sighing and letting his arms drop. "Look, I happen to find dating a waste of my time, alright?"

Ginny stood stock still for a moment as he began to walk off, before she shook herself and ran to catch up with him.

"A waste of time?" she repeated. "How can it be a waste of time? Dating is fun."

"No, it isn't." Harry said. "Look Ginny, I'm twenty five years old. I've been through the dating game, I've been through the heartache… and I'm tired of it. I'm sick of stressing about what clothes to wear to make a good impression, or what time to pick her up or where we should go or what we will talk about." he sighed. "I just want to have her. I don't want to fiddle-fart around."

"But, how can you find her if you don't look around?" Ginny asked.

"I'm a firm believer of being friends first before falling in love. Dating is all about sex; friendship is all about love and respect. The girl for me is close by, I know that. I don't want to waste my time meeting girls who are just going to be a casual thing. I'm ready for the real deal Ginny."

Ginny shivered. "You are? Wow, that's deep."

"I'm one of those guys." Harry said with a smile.

"But Harry, you don't have any female friends." Ginny said softly.

Harry looked at her. "I do so have female friends."

"Oh yeah? Okay then, name three that aren't Hermione or Tonks." She said, folding her arms over her chest.

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but the look on Ginny's face made him stop. He gave her a look and let out a soft laugh. "You know, I don't remember any part of our contract saying that I need to prove myself to you at any given time."

Ginny fell silent, feeling she had pushed him a little too far. It was a little intrusive of her to demand all this from him, especially when he seemed so uncomfortable about it. She could tell that his main focus in life was his job, but she didn't know his attitude about relationships was so dismal.

"So, she's out there somewhere eh?" she said, giving him a smile.

Harry grinned. "Yeah, somewhere."

Ginny continued to look at him for a moment, noticing something about him. "You're different."

"Is that a good thing?"

"I'm not sure yet."

* * *

A/N – Not as long as I usually make them, but hopefully enjoyable nonetheless. And about the Notebook… cried my bloody eyes out! If you haven't seen it, definitely hire it or something.

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5!

* * *

"How about Laura for a girl?"

"Hmm, that sounds nice. Actually, I've always been rather partial to unique names… you know, being that I have one. I mean, think about it! How many Hermione's do you know?"

Ron laughed. "Just the one. That's more than enough."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Okay, we'll come back to girls. Any boy names you like?"

"Yeah, I like Daniel." Ron said, writing the name down on the parchment in his lap. "Daniel Ronald Weasley… has a nice ring don't you think?"

"It does. You know what name I like? James. It's a good strong name." Hermione said, tapping the parchment to make sure he wrote it down.

Ron looked at Hermione. "You think Harry would be alright us calling our baby that?"

"Well, he really doesn't have a say Ron. It _is_ our baby after all, and we have any right to call it James or Sirius or hell even Dolores if we wanted. Er, not that I _would_ call her Dolores!" Hermione added quickly seeing the look of horror on her husband's face.

"Just thinking of him is all. It seems a bit…intrusive to call our son that without his permission for some reason." Ron said quietly. He shrugged and wrote the name down. "But, I'm more inclined to want to escape your wrath than his, so we'll put James as an option."

Hermione smiled and tapped his knee, shifting against the sofa a little more. "That's a good husband."

Ron smiled and kissed her just as the front door flew open, revealing Harry carrying a very large box in his arms with such difficulty he was almost on his knees.

"Er, some help?" he grunted.

Ron leapt up and rushed over, taking the other end of the box.

"Ah, that's better. Thanks Ron."

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing? You could break your back doing this!" Ron cried, walking backwards with Harry as they moved into the living room. "You seem to forget you're a wizard and as such can levitate things, or at least make them lighter!"

"I couldn't in front of the muggles!" Harry said.

"Muggles?" Hermione asked, shifting again as both men placed the massive box in the small space in front of the sofa. "Harry, what is it?"

"It's bloody heavy, that's what it is." Ron panted, stretching a little.

"_This,_ my friends, is the ultimate in viewing technology. Top of the range… took a wild swipe in my bank account mind you, but I reckon it's worth it if we can watch two channels at once!" Harry said with an excited gleam, rubbing his hands together.

Ron quirked an eyebrow and looked at his wife. "A translation please? I can't speak muggle."

"A television?" Hermione asked Harry, her eyes locked on the box.

"Not just any television!" Harry said, kneeling down beside it. "This is the new 74 inch, Plasma screen from Panasonic! Digital sound…multi channel option… widescreen compatibility…" Harry let out a feminine sort of sigh and threw his arms around the box. "My life is now complete."

"Harry!" Hermione cried, trying to stand up. "Do you have any idea how much these things cost?"

"Of course I do, I just bought one!"

"Wow." Ron said, examining the box with interest. "This has got to be the biggest feletision I've ever seen!" he said, clearly impressed.

"And who's going to set it up?" Hermione suddenly demanded, her hands on her hips.

Ron and Harry both looked at each other. "Er – "

"You two would have to be the only men that don't have a technical bone in your little bodies. And _I'm_ certainly not sitting here going over the instructions in Chinese, trying to set the damn thing up by myself."

"You won't be by yourself." Harry said. "Junior will help you."

"Harry that is the dickiest thing you have ever said to me… and that's saying something." Hermione said flatly.

"No, come on." Ron said, still admiring the box. "We can have a go, cant we Harry? It can't be too difficult. If there are instructions we can't be that terrible."

Harry smiled. "Okay, let's do it."

Hermione rolled her eyes as they began opening the box like it was Christmas morning. "Men." She said to herself, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Hey, where are you going?" Ron asked as Hermione began to leave.

"To get the first aid kit."

"What for? Are you okay?"

"Yes, but I want to be prepared." She said, giving the power outlet a glance.

"So, where's Ginny this afternoon? I haven't seen her today." Harry asked, pulling out the remote and examining it.

"Said she had stuff to do today." Ron said simply with a shrug. "I don't know, maybe she went shopping or something. That girl has way too much energy sometimes… gets it from Dad I assume."

Harry nodded, wishing Ginny hadn't gone out. "I don't get the big fascination over shopping myself."

"Except when it comes to elekterik equipment?" Ron smiled, ripping the sides of the box open.

"Yeah, except for that." Harry grunted, pulling on the other end.

A few more tugs later, they peeled the sides of the box apart and let the front fall down, revealing the unit wrapped in bubble paper. Harry pulled it away so they could see the black, plasma screen clearly, framed with a metallic-type rim and speakers on the side.

Ron and Harry both let out a happy sigh and smiled at it fondly.

Just then, Harry jumped as something in his pocket began to vibrate. "Ah! Cripes, it scared the begeezers out of me." He cried, pulling out his wand. It was vibrating and glowing a pale blue, which meant he was needed at the office immediately.

"Bugger. Looks like you're gonna have to give it a shot on your own mate." Harry said, getting up.

"Ah, no worries. I'll be fine… you go. I'll just sit here and work my magic on it. So to speak." Ron said, flipping through the pages of the set-up manual, trying not to look completely lost.

Harry smiled and grabbed his cloak. "Have fun." And he left with a crack.

"Okay I have bandages incase you electrocute yourself, I have Valium incase you get stressed out and…" Hermione, who had come back into the room carrying a bag full of medical supplies, stopped as she spotted Ron levitating the television out of the box up onto the table. "Where'd Harry go?"

"To the Bat cave. They sent the Potter signal up into the air."

"Ah I see. We'll just you and me then?" she said, picking up the instructions.

"Yep. Now, let's see if we can't do this for ourselves."

* * *

"So, what's happening?"

Just as Harry had expected, the moment he apparated to the location Tonks had given him, the team present all looked at him as if the day were saved simply because of his presence. They were all huddled out of sight in the shadow of a nearby oak tree, preparing themselves for an ambush.

The nearest wizard, a tall man with brown hair and a very friendly face rushed forward. "This is the warehouse Benson was telling about last week. Witnesses around here talked about a cloaked figure going into the alleyway. A shifty-looking character they reckon." He said in a low whisper.

Harry nodded, examining his surroundings. There were outside a beaten down factory on the bad side of town. There were barely any people walking around the street and although it was only just becoming dark, it seemed much later in the shadow of all the industrial buildings.

"Right, anything else I should know?" Harry asked, pulling his wand out and starting slowly forward.

"Just that we've refrained from checking the area for any other suspects. We didn't want them alerted to our presence so they couldn't scamper quick-smart without us getting any of them." Said the wizard, hot on Harry's heels.

Harry smiled. "Good work Parker. Now, I want you and the other half of the team to go down that side of the warehouse down there. I'll take the other half and we'll circle around. Any trouble, send up red sparks. I wouldn't worry too much about discretion around here either Parker… muggles seem a bit scarce."

Parker nodded once. "Got it boss. Okay, team Omega, come with me…"

Harry watched Parker rally his Aurors for a moment, before gathering up his own team of four and indicating they follow him up the alley way that circled the factory.

It was slow, tense work, but it needed to be that way. Harry led his team around the side of the factory, each of them creeping along the wall in the shadows, camouflaged by their dark cloaks and robes. They all had their wand pressed against their chest and not held out in front of them.

_It's quiet_. Harry thought to himself, letting his gaze wander around his dark surroundings once more. _Too quiet. Surely Peregriene would have some guards around here…_

Indeed, they were yet to run into anything suspicious. Perhaps the call-out had been a hoax. The windows of the factory were dark, and no-one appeared to be inside. Harry was getting a bad feeling, and he didn't like it at all.

Finally, the came to the end of the alley and turned right, finding Parker and his team already there. They were pressed against the opposite wall, each with their wands held tightly in their hand. Harry made his team do the same and looked at Parker, half hidden in shadow.

Parker took two fingers and jabbed them sharply in the direction of the corridor that lead off the wall behind them. Harry nodded, understanding.

There was someone down there.

Harry stroked his chin, then pointed to Parker's team and then to his eyes. Parker nodded, turned to the agent behind him and did the same thing. That wizard nodded and passed it on, just as Harry had.

Harry leant forward a little and peered around the corner. There was definitely someone down there, hidden in shadow. They were dressed in a heavy cloak and were peering in windows as if looking for someone. Harry frowned. It was rather peculiar… but perhaps they were a spy for Peregriene.

Harry looked back at Parker and held his hands up so everyone could see. He stuck up three fingers, his message clear.

On the count of three.

And slowly put one down, then another, then another…

They all leapt into the dark alleyway at once, Harry in front. The person jumped so high with the shock of a dozen wizards suddenly appearing out of no-where that their feet actually left the ground. The cloaked figure froze for a moment, before whirling around and attempting to run.

"Hold it!" Harry roared.

The person didn't stop running however, but did trip over into a puddle with a crash and a cry, making their hood fly off.

"_Stupe-_"

"NO!" Harry yelled, holding his hands up as the Aurors were about to stun he figure. Harry gave them the signal to hold their fire and took two steps towards the figure pulling themselves up from the ground.

And his belly flopped as he realized who it was he was looking at.

"_Ginny_?" he asked in completely disbelief.

The person whipped around and moved forward a little.

"_Lumos_." Harry commanded.

And there, half-lit by the light of Harry's wand, was Ginerva Weasley, soaking wet and looking completely terrified. Her eyes were wide like a deer caught in headlights.

* * *

Ginny kept her eyes fixed on the table as Tonks circled slowly around her without saying a word, her gaze locked on her. The interrogation room was a plain room without any windows and contained only one table with two chairs on either side.

Ginny chanced a look at Tonks. Her pink hair was nearly crackling with irritation as she continued to pace around the room. Harry was standing in a corner, his arms folded over his chest and his face hidden in shadow.

"So,' Tonks finally said. 'Trespassing on private property, causing a panic amongst locals, spying, disrupting an ambush by my team of Aurors, diverting their attention away from real suspects…' she trailed off, her voice rising higher and higher.

Ginny jumped as Tonks leant on the table in front of her, her face inches away.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't lock you up right now." Tonks whispered, her tone deadly.

Ginny bit her lip and looked at Tonks for a long moment. "I'm pretty?" she said, shrugging.

The corner of Tonks's mouth twitched the smallest amount, and there was a small splutter from the corner of the room, but other than that a stunned silence followed this suggestion from the red head.

Tonks continued to gaze angrily at Ginny for a long moment, before smiling and shaking her head. She straitened up, ruffled her hair and let out a sigh. "Potter?"

"Boss?"

"It was _your_ assignment thwarted this afternoon by Ginerva Molly Weasley, was it not?"

"It was."

Ginny watched as Tonks gave her one last look and waved a dismissive hand at Harry.

"You deal with her then."

And with that, Tonks left, leaving Ginny feeling more horrible that she had when Tonks had been there.

Her eyes immediately went to Harry in the corner. Slowly, he pushed himself off the wall, came over to the middle of the room and sat himself down opposite her, crossing one leg over the other. He looked at her with a blank, hard expression and it made her feel very uncomfortable.

And it only took her a few moments to realize that he was not going to say anything, but was going to simply sit there across the table, looking at her and waiting for her to crack. But she held his eye contact, determined not to let him break her so quickly. Ron used this strategy when playing chess, and she wasn't going to let Harry have the satisfaction of making her feel like she had done something wrong.

It was like a staring competition. Ginny was relentless about keeping his eye contact, but the effort she was having was not shared by Harry it seemed. But then again, he was a professional, and probably did this on a regular basis.

_Is he angry?_ She wondered, peering into his face. But it betrayed nothing. In fact, he looked almost bored_. He must be mad._

After what seemed like forever, but was only five minutes, Ginny sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Will you just say something?"

"I was actually waiting for _you_ to speak." He said calmly.

"What do you want me to say then?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you could tell me why you thought it was a good idea to go to one of the scummiest parts of London, _by yourself_, and poke around a building where Dark wizards and muggles with _guns_ hide out!" Harry cried, his eyes flashing.

Oh yeah, he was mad alright.

"I was trying to help." Ginny said defensively.

Harry's mouth went a little slack. "Wait, I'm sorry… trying to _help_? How does trying to get yourself killed help me out in any way or form?"

"I wasn't trying to get myself killed." Ginny snapped. "You asked me the other week, that night to find out what they could be using Dragon's blood for, and that's what I was doing."

"You know that's not what I meant Ginny." Harry said in a low voice.

"Wasn't it?"

"Of _course_ not! I meant for you to ask some of the people you know at work, or do some reading and research."

"_Reading and research_? If you wanted that you should have gone to Hermione." Ginny snapped. "I am a Weasley. You wanted it done; I would have gotten it done. I was looking around their factory to see what they were using and…"

"What is this to you? Some little adventure? This is the real world Ginny. You're not trained to defend yourself properly against thirty or so dark wizards. You were scared shitless when we showed up today… how could you have handled it if it _weren't_ us? You could have been _killed_ Ginny!" Harry yelled, no longer keeping his cool.

Ginny watched on as he stood up quickly, sending his chair clattering to the floor. He hand a hand over his face and was breathing deeply.

"I could have killed you today." He finally muttered. "Do you have any idea how that makes me feel?"

Ginny shivered. "You wouldn't have killed me."

Harry looked at her. "No, I wouldn't. But I could have hurt you. And I can find nothing more dreadful in my mind, than laying one finger on you in harm." He said softly.

They stared at each other for a long moment, Harry's words still hanging powerfully in the air. Ginny had not thought about such consequences when she had left that morning, determined to help Harry with his case. Her mind had been set on giving him leads and contacts to help catch this wizard.

But he was right. This wasn't like rule-breaking back a school. This was the real deal with dangers she didn't even know about. Harry carried such burdens with him everyday, and she had just added another to his shoulders.

She felt wretched.

Harry sighed, picked up the chair and set it right. "Go home Ginny." he said flatly, walking to the door and opening it for her. "I'll see you later."

Ginny stood up slowly, her bottom lip trembling. She pushed the chair in and walked to the door, her arms wrapped around herself.

As she passed Harry, she stopped and looked at him. "I was only trying to help." She whispered.

Harry didn't look at her, but kept his gaze on the floor.

Knowing she was about to breakdown any minute, Ginny hurried out of the door and away from him.

Harry shut the door behind her, leaving him alone in the room. He paused for a moment, before sliding down the wall, drawing his knees up to his chest and putting his head in his hands.

* * *

It was well past midnight when Harry was awoken by someone pulling back the covers and sliding into bed beside him. He rolled over and squinted into the night, making out the blurry outline of a woman with long, red hair.

"Ginny?" He mumbled, rolling onto his back.

Ginny tucked herself in, slid up next to him and wrapped her arm around his middle. "I'm sorry Harry. I'm so sorry I can't think straight. I didn't mean to make you worry; I just wanted so badly to help you…"

"Shh." Harry whispered, taking her hand in his. "It's okay."

"No, its not! You're right; I was totally vacant and stupid to do what I did this afternoon and…"

"Ginny, I understand what you were trying to do." Harry said, feeling another crying session coming on. "But, you know, it really was a rather dumb thing to do."

"I know that. And I feel very stupid about it. You know our Weasley motto 'cursing first, questions later'… and I just wanted so badly to help you out with this. I know you've been stressing about it and I wanted to take some of the pressure off you."

Harry sighed and groaned internally. How could he stay angry at her? He had been furious with her for the entire afternoon, all through dinner and all night henceforth. But his rage had now dwindled to a simmer, and with her holding him and lying with him in his bed, it was smothering his little flame of irritation in shite.

"I know you had good intentions Ginny," Harry said 'but some of the worst things imaginable have been done with good intentions. And loosing you… well, that ranks pretty high on one of the worst things imaginable."

Ginny sat up a little and looked down at him. "Really?"

Harry smiled. "Well, in my books it does."

She smiled, lay back down and snuggled into him. He was very warm and cozy.

"So, am I forgiven?" she asked.

Harry thought for a moment. His first instinct was to say no, but once he thought about it a little more, it did seem a little unnecessary to hold a grudge when she was so apparently sorry and aggrieved about what she had done.

"Harry?"

Harry smiled. "On one condition."

"Oh yes?"

"You make me breakfast in bed tomorrow. Full treatment. I wan eggs and bacon, not cooked to hard and eggs sunny-side up…"

"_What_? Harry…"

"And I want orange juice made from fresh oranges, no pulp…"

"This is enormously unfair Harry!"

"And chocolate-chip pancakes. Yes, with mounds of maple syrup and butter…"

* * *

A/N – It turned out a little more angsty than I anticipated, but I thought it would also bring out some underlying feelings for both of them as well.

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. Gee, some of you really want Ginny and Harry together! You're impatient? Good. That was what I wanted you to feel. Gets you into the story more!

Ginny's eyes fluttered open the next morning and for a moment, she felt rather disorientated. She wasn't in her work tent back in Romania, nor was she in her room at her brother's house. So, where was she?

_Oh yes_. She thought as the room came back into focus. _Harry's bed_.

Memories of the night before came back into sharper focus. She and Harry had talked long into the night about nothing particularly interesting. They had passed over general conversation just like they had in the old days, not finding any room for awkward silences. Ginny was pleasantly surprised to find that she was so comfortable around him, and was even more so to find he was also around her.

She smiled and looked besides her, expecting to find him there, but instead she found herself staring into the face of a large, plush, purple Dragon with green scales and large, white eyes.

It took her a moment to truly grasp what it was she was looking at, before she let out a giggle, sat up and looked at the dragon. She recognized it; it was the present she had sent Harry for his 20th birthday from her camp.

_He's so cute._ She thought, throwing back the covers and putting her feet on the cold floorboards. Ginny hugged the little dragon for a moment, before standing up and heading out of the room for the kitchen in search of her crush.

_Probably waiting for me to cook him breakfast_. She thought, smiling as she remembered his demands from the night before.

She entered the living room and yawned, hugging the dragon tightly to her chest. Harry was over in the kitchen, leaning against the bench with the paper unfolded in front of him and a mug in his hand. Hermione was at the table, amazingly working again on some unknown mystery. Ron, tousled haired and still half-dressed was sitting on the sofa, his eyes glued to the television.

"Morning every – " but she stopped as she spotted two people on the sofa she did not expect.

"Ginny! Darling!" Molly cried, leaping up and rushing to her daughter.

Ginny grunted as her mother pulled her down into a hug. "Mum! Dad." She said, stunned to see her father on the sofa peering at the new television with awe. "Wow. What are you doing here?"

"We were in the village and decided to drop in." Mrs. Weasley said happily, stroking her daughter's hair. "After all, you've been back in the country for two weeks and haven't come to visit." She scolded.

"Oh yes." Ginny said absentmindedly, still feeling a little shocked at her parent's sudden presence. "A mistake anyone could make, surely."

"Most certainly not!" Mrs. Weasley cried, eyeing her daughter. "Ginny dear, have you just woken up?"

"She had a late night last night." Hermione said, her eyes glued to her work.

Ginny gave her best friend a look over her mother's shoulder. Hermione was desperately hiding a smirk.

"You haven't been drinking have you?"

"_No_ mother." Ginny sighed, rolling her eyes as her mother gave her another look.

"Oh leave her be dear. She's a young woman after all." Mr. Weasley said, finally tearing his eyes away from the television. "Not to mention a full-blooded Weasley."

Ginny smiled, ignored her mother's glare at her husband and jumped over the top of the sofa, landing next to her father and gave him a firm kiss on the cheek. "Hello daddy."

"Morning Gin." Ron piped up, the remote control in his hand as he gazed fondly at the set in front of him. "Just showing Dad the new box. A beauty isn't it? All these stations…" Ron said, flipping through the channels in quick succession.

"And you set it up all by yourself?" Arthur cried happily, throwing his arm around Ron's shoulders. "That's my boy! Got my profound talent for anything to do with muggle technology. Amazing invention this eklectricity, isn't it?"

"Oh yeah!" Ron beamed. "If it wasn't for electricity, we'd all be watching feletision by candlelight!"

"So Ginny, what did you do yesterday?" Mrs. Weasley asked, sitting herself down with Hermione at the table.

"Oh, er…"

"Ginny went shopping yesterday." Harry said suddenly, breaking his silence. "And how do I know this? Because she harassed me for a good twenty minutes to go with her until she finally relented."

Ginny looked at Harry in surprise for a moment, but her mother laughed, totally unaware of her daughter's slight amazement.

"Oh yes, that sounds like my girl. Ginny, what did you get?"

Ginny blinked and looked away from Harry to her mother. "Oh, er… nothing."

"_Nothing_?" Mrs. Weasley repeated, quite a bit shocked.

Ginny looked back to Harry for a split second, but long enough to see his smirk half-hidden behind his mug as he continued to read the paper. "No, nothing. It was window shopping, you know. Just scoping out the latest fashions… don't want to blow all my savings in such a short two month period." Ginny laughed, lying smoothly.

_Ha! Take that Mr. Smooth, I-can-lie-at-the-drop-of-a-hat Guy._ She thought smugly at Harry.

"Ah yes, good thinking my dear." Mrs. Weasley said, smiling at her daughter. "Oh Arthur honestly, _must _you sit so close to that thing?"

"Just getting a better look dear…"

Ginny smiled, leapt up and went over into the kitchen as her parents bickered. She went to the cupboard, retrieved a mug and began making herself some tea.

"Why didn't you tell me they were here?" she sang under her breath to Harry.

He smiled. "Why didn't you wake up and make me breakfast like I asked you to?" he retorted softly, keeping his back to her.

"Hey, if you want breakfast in bed…sleep in the kitchen."

"Then your parents _definitely_ would have gotten the wrong idea, wouldn't they?" he whispered closely to her, smirking.

Ginny wanted to hit him, but the view she was getting of his rear end was enough to make her reconsider her actions. She checked him out for a moment, before realizing that not just Hermione and Ron were present, but her parents.

"Well, I don't think that last night constitutes any reason for me not being annoyed with you for not waking me." She hissed, adding sugar to her brewed tea.

"Uh huh. That's why Mr. Bimble came out with you this morning is it?" Harry said.

Ginny looked at him in confusion, before realizing he was talking about the stuffed animal still clutched under her arm. She looked at him in amazement for a moment, before letting out a snort.

"Mr. _Bimble_?" she giggled softly.

Harry went red. "I thought it was cute."

"Hey!" Ron yelled, cutting into their conversation. "Stop flirting in the kitchen and get out here while we have company."

"Flirting? What' all this then?" Mrs. Weasley chirped up, looking at Harry and Ginny in a new light. "Don't tell me you two are…"

"No, we're not!" Harry said a little quickly. He felt Ginny's stare boring into the back of his head, but he ignored it. "Ron's just being a prat. Something he's spent a lifetime perfecting." Harry growled, giving Ron a look.

"Ah, I wouldn't rush into denial so quickly." Hermione said, still not looking up. "Ron may know something the two of you don't."

Ginny wanted to disappear on the spot. The look on her mother's face was becoming increasing embarrassing. "Yes well, you know what they say; some drink from the fountain of knowledge, while other's just gurgle." Ginny snapped, giving Hermione a look.

"So you're saying there is nothing between the two of you?" Mrs. Weasley urged, looking like she was ready to start making wedding plans any second.

"No! Nothing!" Harry laughed, taking another sip of his drink. "Its just Ron's drugs talking."

"You know, I tried sniffing coke once." Ron said, flipping through the stations. "But the ice-cubes got stuck up my nose."

Everyone laughed, except Harry and Ginny. Harry watched her out of the corner of his eye, and was a little confused to see her so suddenly quite cool. Her expression had hardened and she didn't seem so at ease around him anymore.

_Well, what was I meant to say?_ He thought defensively as she left the kitchen and took the seat on the other side of Hermione. _There _is_ nothing going on! Well, not on her part anyway_.

Harry ruffled his hair and tried to go back to the paper, but he felt immensely guilty for some reason. He looked back at Ginny and saw she was stubbornly refusing to look at him, or even acknowledge his existence.

Suddenly feeling supremely irritated himself; Harry threw the rest of his drink down the drain and marched out of the room.

Ginny watched him go out of the corner of her eye, torn two ways. Should she go after him? He seemed a little upset all of a sudden, and perhaps he would have liked the company.

But then again, she felt rather upset herself. He had denied flat out any feelings for her and, in the whole time she had been there, had totally disregarded any advances she had made. Perhaps she was just wasting her time on a man who no more felt that way about her than Neville Longbottom did.

"Ginny? Ginny dear are you listening to me?"

Ginny jumped and blinked at her mother, who was giving her a peculiar look. "Yes, sorry mum what were you saying?"

Harry finally came out of his room long after the Weasley's had left, not wanting to have them looking at him as if he were about to get down on one knee in front of their only daughter. He had been drawn out of his room for the insatiable need for some Butterbeer, and thought that, judging by the silence, he would have the house to himself.

That was of course, until he spotted Ginny on the sofa.

She was lying on her belly, propped up on her elbows while reading a book. She gave him the slightest glance over the top of her book to register his presence, before going back to the pages of her novel.

Harry considered her for a moment, before shaking his head and heading for the fridge.

"Your parents are gone I see." He called from the kitchen.

"Yes. They just left actually." Ginny said. Her tone held nothing; she was simply replaying the facts.

Harry cracked his bottle open and took a long sip. "Where'd Twiddle Dee and Twiddle Dum go?" he asked, coming back into the living room.

Ginny watched him as he took the seat adjacent from her, picking up the paper again and settling it in his lap without looking at her. "They went house hunting. Said to say they'd be going out for dinner and won't be back until late."

"Fine." Harry nodded, going straight to the middle of his paper and picking up where he left off.

Ginny watched him for a moment, wanting desperately so say something to break this sudden icy silence between them, but instead let out an indignant huff and went back to her book.

They sat in silence for the next few minutes, each very annoyed with the other. He was angry at her for not being straight about what it was she wanted, she was angry with him for being an idiot and not realizing what it was she was trying to tell him… but each were too stubborn to speak about it first.

Harry ruffled the pages on his paper noisily and went to grab his bottle again for another sip… when his attention seemed to shift permanently to Ginny and what it was she was doing.

He felt his nether regions give a jolt as he watched her. Every now and then, she would lift her pelvis up, move it a little and then sink it back down into the sofa. And it was the most distracting and erotic thing Harry had seen in a good long while. He looked at her face, and it she seemed totally unaware of the impact such a simple movement was having on him.

He blinked and looked back down at his paper, but he could still hear the rustle of the cushions whenever she moved. His eyes slid back to her and watched as she did it again, and again, and again…

He groaned as his 'Mr. Jolly' began to have a seriously unfunny reaction to what she was doing. Every time she moved, her hips would ride up and whenever she moved down, she'd rub up against the sofa. It was taking every once of mental control for him not to fantasize about her doing that on top of him, instead of the furniture.

Was it getting hotter? They day was already warm enough without him getting flushed as he watched her. Up… down…up… down…

"Ginny!" He finally cried, clamping his eyes shut and slamming his paper closed.

She jumped a little in surprise and looked over at him. "What?" she asked, frowning.

Harry opened his eyes and looked at her, breathing hard. He wanted to say 'stop humping the fucking sofa!', but that would give him away. So, instead he said…

"Cant you just sit still?" he asked, trying to remain calm and not let her see what was going on in his lap.

Ginny looked down at herself and frowned. "I can't get comfortable."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm _agitated,_ Harry!"

"Why?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Gee, I have no idea." She snapped sarcastically.

"Well go have a bath or something to calm yourself down." He said without thinking. Then he had to surpass a groan as an image of her in the bath popped into his head. Up… down…up…down…

Ginny glared at him for a moment, before throwing her book down, getting up and storming out of the room, muttering under her breath. Harry was sure he heard the words 'daft pillock' in there somewhere.

Harry literally rolled his eyes in relief and sunk into the chair, letting his head fall back against the back of the armchair. He knew it would have been only a matter of seconds before _he_ would have been the one leaving the room, heading beeline for the bathroom to 'take care of business'. It was bad enough she was wearing those little shorts again, let alone her doing that action with her hips…

Shaking himself of sexual thoughts for the time being, Harry stood up and went to fetch some food. But he stopped as he passed by the back door, his eyes widening in amazement.

Ginny was out the back, standing in the middle of the lawn, apparently trying to do Tai Chi. Her face was contorted in concentration and determination as she tried to mimic the movements Harry did every afternoon. It was rather cute, watching her to try and do it without the slightest idea of what she actually was doing.

Harry went to the doorway and leant against it, folding his arms over his chest and smiling as she continued to move, clearly getting more and more frustrated by the minute.

"So, what's this you're trying to do?" he asked finally.

Ginny whirled around to face him, breathing a little hard. "I'm trying to do that 'Chai Tinny' thing it is you do, or whatever it's called." She huffed, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Yes, '_trying' _being the main word here." Harry sniggered.

"Look, either help me or shut up and bugger off." She snapped, turning away from him and going back to her movements.

She was far too irritated to play this game with him anymore. She was tired of her flirting going unnoticed, or her suggestions not taken any further. It wasn't about just shagging him anymore… not that she would say no to it if brought up. She really cared for him, and deeply, and it hurt that…

Ginny jumped as she suddenly felt two strong arms grab her from behind and move her a little to the right. "Harry?"

"Firstly, you need to stand properly… otherwise you'll be playing Twister with your ridiculous footwork." Said Harry's voice, low in her ear.

Ginny tried not to shiver at the close proximity and did as he said, widening her stance. He let her go and moved around to stand in front of her, a smile on his face. He too took the stance, shook himself loose and let out a sigh.

"Okay, the first thing to remember about this is to be patient. Which will be a stretch for you being a Weasley, I know." He added with a laugh. "So, take your arms like this…"

Ginny did as he demonstrated, feeling a little thrill for some reason. It was hot, they were outdoors, he was wearing a tight-fitting red t-shirt and denim shorts and she was already getting turned on by him.

"Okay, now what?" she asked.

"Now do what I do. Nice and slow… calmly…" Harry said, beginning to move.

Ginny frowned and did as he did, trying to fight the insane urge to speed up. She felt that surge of irritation again at moving so slowly, like that feeling you get in crowds when people in a line move too slowly.

"Now breathe… breathing is important…" Harry said, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply.

Ginny tried desperately not to get annoyed, but finally she let out a grunt of annoyance and threw her arms up in the air. "Dammit, I can't stand going so slow! I just want to kick out or go mad or something." She cried.

"Okay, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist. It accomplishes nothing and makes you walk funny." Harry said, also coming to a stop.

Ginny sighed as Harry considered her for a moment. "You can say it you know. Something I'm horrible at. Perish the thought!" she said fatly, looking at her feet.

But he didn't say anything. Instead, he moved back around to stand behind her and slid his hands down her arms to link his hands with hers. She stiffened a little as she felt his chest press against her back. She could smell his aftershave mixed with perspiration, his arms were warm and strong…

"Now, move with me." He whispered in her ear.

_Oh god!_ She thought.

Slowly, he lifted her arms up and began moving them with him, their torso's twisting together as he led their movements. Harry's breath on the side of her face and on the top of her almost bare shoulder was making her a little weak of the knees, not to mention the sensuality that was simply oozing out of what they were doing.

Harry felt himself getting all hot again as he felt Ginny's small body shift against his, her soft hair brushing against his cheek as her head tilted back a little. Their closeness was intense, and he could smell her shampoo. He wanted to run his hands along her body, down her legs and up other places…

"Harry…" Ginny moaned suddenly, taking his arms and wrapping them around her body.

It didn't matter that they were standing in the middle of the yard where anyone of the neighbors could see them, nor did it matter that they were both half naked from the heat… all that mattered was that they didn't let go.

_Well, if he doesn't get the point now he's definitely dafter than I ever imagined!_ Ginny thought, turning her head a little to look at him.

Harry looked at her, finding it difficult to believe that just a few minutes ago they had refused to look each other in the eye, and hours before that had been blatantly defending any feeling between them. But now this feeling, whatever it was, it was staring him in the face, demanding recognition. She _did_ feel something. It was plainly obvious in the way she was looking at him.

And suddenly the alarm bells went off in Harry's head. This couldn't _really_ happen.

He jumped back, letting her go completely. "So, er…" he stuttered, looking at the ground and taking three large steps away from her.

Ginny slowly turned completely to face him and put her hands on her hips. Her expression had gone suddenly quite deadly.

Harry cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "So, that's the basics of that. And if you wanted I could…"

"Harry," Ginny suddenly growled. "If you so much as even _think_ about finishing that sentence, I will have to hit you with the most powerful Bat-Bogey hex I know."

"What would you prefer I say then?" he retorted.

"Anything but denying what just happened!" Ginny cried. "I _know_ you felt something Harry; I saw it in your face. Why can't you just tell me how you feel?"

"Why can't you just tell _me_ how _you_ feel then huh?" he yelled, pointing at her.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Harry, I have been telling you how I feel since the day I came back." She laughed bitterly. "In a million ways, I've been telling you. For these two weeks I've been telling you… Jesus Harry, since I was ten years old I've been telling you. You're just either too arrogant or stupid to listen!"

"You haven't said _one word_ about how you feel to me Ginny. _Ever_!" Harry cried angrily. "You send mixed signals. I can't work out whether you like me or not half the time."

"And what did just now tell you Harry?" Ginny asked, taking a step toward him. "What did my eyes tell you? My heart beat?"

Harry stared at her, the answer ringing in the back of his mind like a million church bells. This was an issue that had forever been present, but had never been talked about. It was a world that had been crossed off by a very large, determined line. And whatever that line was, they were staring eyeball to eyeball with it right now.

Ginny took another step toward him, peeing up into his face. "You know how I feel about you… Christ, who doesn't?" she laughed. "But the big mystery here, is do you feel the same?"

Harry looked away from her stubbornly. "You can't ask me this Ginny."

"I have every bloody right to ask you this." She snapped. "You want to hear me say it? Is that what you want me to do?" she asked. She placed a hand on Harry's cheek and lifted his head so he could look at her. "I love you Harry." She laughed with a shrug. "There, you see? Nothing mixed or ambiguous about it. I love you, and have loved you since I was old enough to understand what love meant."

Harry shivered under her gaze, from the impact of her words. No one had ever said those three words to him in this context.

Ever.

"Ginny…" he said, his eyes dropping again.

"Answer me Harry." Ginny demanded softly. "This settles it once and for all. I don't want to play this stupid game anymore… this guessing game we've been playing for God-knows how long. I want to know, straight out. Do you love me, or don't you?"

Harry clenched his jaw. "You don't know what it is you ask of me." He said.

"Don't think I can't handle what-ever it is." Ginny said.

"My life isn't for sharing." Harry said sadly. "It isn't roses and walks through parks Ginny."

"Answer my question Harry." Ginny pressed, taking his face in her hands. "Do you love me?" she whispered.

Harry looked at her, his green eyes boring into her brown ones. He felt tongue-tied, obligated, guilty, confused… so many emotions. He couldn't let her in, he couldn't let anyone in. Danger… too much danger…

"I…" he started, his mouth dry. Ginny's eyes were locked on his. "I…don't." he said finally, feeling his heart break.

Ginny's bottom lip trembled and her eyes welled up with tears, but she continued to look at him as if waiting for him to finish the sentence. But, moments of waiting told her that unfortunately, he _was_ finished.

She nodded and let him go; taking two steps away form him once more. She opened her mouth to speak, but her heart was thumping against her ribcage, making vocal noises near impossible.

Harry felt as if his blood had been turned to lead at the look on her face. She was hurt, and the thing he swore he would never to her, had indeed come to pass. Why was it so unfair being him?

"Ginny…"

Ginny help up a hand to silence him, wrapping her other arm around herself. She looked at him for a long moment, before turning and going back into the house.

Harry felt his knees give out and he sank into the grass, his eyes still locked on the place she had been standing seconds before. It was like a white blotch in front of his eyes, so great was his disbelief of what had just happened.

He couldn't have told her. He _couldn't_ have. No girl within twenty meters was safe around him, and that included Hermione. He knew he wouldn't be able to stand it if anything happened to Ginny because of what he did for a living. That was the whole reason he had abstained from pursuing anything with her in the first place all those years ago and his life had not become any safer since.

But did he love her? Deep down he knew the answer to that. But he couldn't tell her. How could he tell her, and expect everything to stay the same?

Harry ran his hands through his air, feeling sadness wash over him once more. Was he not meant to have what he wanted? His whole life had been full of sacrifices, or of thinking of others… when was it going to be alright for him to think of his own needs?

He looked at the house, thinking about how what he wanted most was separated from him by just a few walls… and how he couldn't have her.

Now, it really was too late.

"Arthur, must you spend hours on end at the office? You know I miss you dearly."

Mr. Weasley laughed and kissed his wife on the head as he fussed around the kitchen, collecting various things before he was to depart for a meeting at the Ministry.

"Alas my dear, the Ministry needs its Minister." He sighed, popping a few nuts in his mouth from the bowl on the bench. "Besides, you're just sore that you have no-one to fuss over or dote upon."

Mrs. Weasley smiled at him warmly. "Is it a crime to be so deeply in love with my family? Not to mention my husband."

Mr. Weasley stopped his pacing in front of her, smiled and gave her a kiss. "Not at all." He said, giving her hands a squeeze. "I shouldn't be home too late."

"Well in that case I'll just finish these last few dishes and take myself off to bed. And I'll not wait up for you because, really, who _would_ do something like that?" she added, fussing over the front of her husband's robes.

Mr. Weasley laughed, kissed his wife once more and disapparated. Mrs. Weasley sighed happily for a moment, before rubbing her eyes and getting up to go to the sink to finish the last of the washing up.

CRACK.

"Oh Arthur, I _knew _you'd forget something. What is it this time?" Mrs. Weasley asked without turning around.

She was expecting to hear Arthur Weasley's deep grumble of annoyance. So it was definitely a reason to spin around in surprise when instead she heard a sniff and a very tentative "Mum?"

"Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley cried in surprise.

She looked terrible. Her long, red hair was limp around her face from running her hands through it so many times, and her face was blotchy and her eyes were red and bloodshot. Ginny sniffed back again, before lifting her head and looking at her mother.

"Sweetheart, what on earth is wrong?" Mrs. Weasley asked softly, crossing to her only daughter.

Ginny smiled as her mother stroked her face, pushing her hair out of the way. "Would it be all right if… I stayed here for the night? No questions asked?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled up at Ginny. "Of course my darling. Now, why don't I make us a pot of my special tea and you can tell me the _real _reason why George thought it would be a good idea to follow in his brother's footsteps and grow his hair to that ridiculous length."

A/N – Happened a little fast, didn't it? Never fear, you will like the next chapter.

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7! Told you this was going to be short. Look, it's nearly finished already!

* * *

It was with a heavy heart full of heartbreak and determination that Ginny arrived back at the house late the next day. She had spent the entire day with her mother, thankful for her warm presence that warranted no questions or interrogation. In most cases, her mother would have demanded to know who had put her little girl in such misery, but in certain circumstances like this one, she simply just understood enough not to stir up the waters.

But, Ginny knew he had to go back. She was a Weasley, and as such did not run away from her problems. It had taken all her courage, stubbornness and integrity go pull herself together enough to apparate back to the house, a single mission in mind.

Talk to Harry.

What was she going to say? How was she going to say it? Where did she begin? These were questions that she currently did not know the answer to. But she did know that she loved him, and was not ready to let him push her away so easily.

So, back at the house, she found her brother once again sitting in front of the television, his eyes glued to it as if it were the best thing since Quidditch, and Hermione in the kitchen, peeling potatoes manually.

"Hey you!" Hermione said happily, spotting Ginny as she looked around. "Where were you last night?"

"Have you seen Harry?" Ginny demanded softly, looking out into the twilight, Harry-free yard.

Hermione's smile faded instantly as she saw how distressed her best friend was. "Oh dear. Does this have anything to do with the plan?"

"Oh yeah."

"A setback?"

Ginny laughed a hollow laugh and rubbed her eyes. "That's one way to describe it, yes." She said. "Hermione, just tell me if you've seen him."

Hermione looked very much like she wanted to comment, but instead sighed and pointed down the hall with her bread knife. "He's in his room."

Ginny smiled a little, nodded and rushed off down the hall.

Hermione watched her go, that female intuition of something terribly wrong kicking into high gear. What had Harry done now?

She looked at her husband on the sofa and frowned. Chances were, he hadn't even heard one word of what she and his sister had just said, or even knew that Ginny was home at all. So, with a blank look, she picked up one of the unpeeled potatoes and pitched it at his head.

"OW!" Ron cried, rubbing the back of his head where he had been struck and turned to look at Hermione. "Blimey woman, what the hell was _that_ for?"

"For being an inconsiderate pillock, that's what. You're sister's going through emotional peril, and all you can do is sit there like an ogre watching that infernal idiot box!" she snapped. "Don't you have training?"

"Not until later tonight. But, emotional peril?" Ron asked, looking genuinely confused. "_Ginny_?"

"Do you have another sister I and your mother are unaware of?"

Ron looked down the corridor to where his sister had just departed and then back at Hermione. "Because of Harry?"

Hermione pursed her lips and picked up another potato.

"Okay, alright! I get the point!" Ron cried.

"Harry? Come on Harry, let me in!" Ginny called, knocking on his bedroom door. "Harry, I'm not leaving until we talk about this!"

Silence. Who was he kidding anyway, hiding in his room brooding like a child who couldn't have candy? They were adults, and Ginny had every right to demand an explanation about what it was he really wanted from her.

"_Harry_?" she called again, knocking harder. When there was no response, she grit her teeth and exhaled slowly through her nose. "Right, I'm coming in… and I don't care if you're half-decent or not."

So she pushed the door inward… and found the room empty. Ginny frowned, entered the room completely and closed the door behind her. He had to have just left, as there were clothes and other magical object strewn all over the room, as if he were in a great hurry to be somewhere.

She looked around, taking in the smell of his room. Everything in there was just so him. His wardrobe door half open, his bed not made, his desk full of clutter and papers…

"Hey Hedwig." Ginny smiled, crossing to the perch to see Harry's faithful owl still there.

Hedwig hooted and nibbled on Ginny's long fingers affectionately as she stroked her feathers softly. Ginny frowned in curiosity as Hedwig kept turning her head to Harry's desk, hooting and then looking back up at her.

"What's the matter girl?"

Hedwig took off from the porch and landed on the desk, hopping up and down. Ginny took in more details and saw that there was still a bit of string attached to Hedwig's leg. It was then she spotted a letter just opened on Harry's desk. She must have just delivered it.

"Ah, you want your treats." Ginny said, understanding finally.

She searched through the draws and finally came upon a box of owl treats in the bottom, left hand side of the desk drawer. Ginny took out two and put them in Hedwig's bowl. The owl went back to her perch, hooted in thanks and went about munching on her reward.

Ginny smiled at the owl for a moment, before the letter on the desk caught her attention. She put her hands in her pockets and bit her lip, knowing she shouldn't. Curiosity was not something to be taken lightly, especially in her case as she possessed a fair amount of it.

_Oh screw it._ She thought, seizing the letter up and looking at it in interest.

It was rather dirty, as if someone had been writing it on the ground. The writing was messy and rushed and was very to the point:

_Potter, trouble in sector four! Peregrine and mob. Ambush. Need back-up. **Dragons! **_

And underneath it were apprating co-ordinates.

Ginny's eyes widened. So this chap Peregriene _had_ been dealing with dragons! But how had he gotten them in the country? And where in Merlin's name had he been keeping them?

And how were they going to control it? Aurors were good, but were not specialists in handling magical creatures. And suddenly, an idea popped into her head. A very stupid, brave idea.

Her mind made up at once, Ginny grabbed her wand out, letter still clutched tightly in her hand and ran down the hall for her cloak in her room.

_Oh boy,_ she thought as she pulled on her cloak. _He's going to be mad._

* * *

"Hold it! Keep back everyone!"

Harry's instructions were demanding and left no room for argument. Not that anyone would have… waltzing up to a fifty-foot dragon was not something any of the surrounding Aurors were too keen on doing any time soon.

There were in a sort of paddock just outside Essex in the middle of muggle farming area, thirty five Aurors, ten convicted Dark Wizards and one massive fire breathing Dragon in the middle of it all.

Muggle discretion was not an option anymore. After all, who _would_ miss the big ruddy lizard if they looked out their windows? They would have to worry about memories later. The Dragon was snarling and rearing up on its hind legs, breathing fire in every direction and sending quite a few wizard who were brave enough to try and get closer flying twenty feet into the air. Its wing span was massive, and it was only because they had managed to try its lets down with a few very powerful bondage spells that it was remaining on the ground.

"Harry! We have to get more backup!" Roared Parker from twenty feet away, his wand outstretched in front of him and a nasty gash up his arm. Blood was seeping from his ripped robes and it looked rather painful.

"We don't have time for that! Stunning spells again!" Harry commanded.

"They're not working!" Parker yelled.

"I said try again!" Harry snapped. "All of you, on my signal!"

The wizards all looked at Harry as if he had gone a little mad, but took rank and stood around the Dragon in a circle, ignoring the roars it was emitting and took aim.

"Okay, ready?" Harry yelled; summon up his power form that pit of magic within him. "Now!"

"_STUPEFY_!" They all roared at once.

Dozens of streams of red light all streamed towards the Dragon and hit it in the back. The Dragon let out a roar and the spells all bounced off it, sending jets of light everyone and in-turn, causing all the wizards to leap out of the way to prevent getting hit.

"Fuck!" Harry yelled angrily, picking himself up from the ground.

"The hide's too thick!" Yelled Parker, crossing over to him holding his limp arm. "Potter, we can't hit it with the spells, it just agitates it."

"Well,' came a female voice form behind them 'that's one thing you fellows seemed to have worked out."

Harry and Parker spun around and Harry's mouth dropped open. "_Ginny_? What the hell are you doing…"

"LOOK OUT!"

Harry, acting on pure instinct, leapt forward into Ginny and brought them both crashing to the ground with a grunt, just as the tail of the Dragon went flying over them, ruffling their air with the gust of wind it caused.

"Jesus, we nearly lost our heads!" Parker cried, getting up with a wince.

Harry rolled off Ginny and they got back to their feet. "Thanks for that." Ginny said, dusting herself from dirt.

"I mean it Ginny, what are you doing here?" Harry demanded, not wanting her there at all for more reasons than one.

"Helping you out, dickhead." Ginny snapped, moving around him toward the dragon.

"_What_? Wait just a God-damn second." Harry cried, grabbing Ginny's arm and spinning her around. "Do you have short-term memory loss or something? Do you not remember what happened the last time you tried to help me out? You nearly got yourself killed!"

"Says you." Ginny retorted, pulling her arm harshly out of his grip. "This is what I do for a living Harry." She yelled, pointing at the Dragon behind her. It was breathing out puffs of fire at anyone who attempted to get near it.

"You think I'm going to let you near that thing by yourself?" Harry yelled. He almost laughed it was so ludicrous. "You shouldn't be within fifty miles of here Ginny!"

"Why, because I might get hurt?"

"Yes! You're a civilian, and have no right to be interfering with official Auror business. We are professionals." Harry snapped.

"Oh yeah. And I can see you're doing a fabulous job handling this situation so far Harry." Ginny said sarcastically, folding her arms over her chest.

"We can handle it." Harry growled.

"The hell you can!" Ginny said, spinning around and heading off again.

Harry lifted his wand, cracked it like a whip and instantly, Ginny's feet snapped together and she went crashing to the ground. "I'm sorry Ginny, but I can't let you go over there!"

Ginny jumped to her feet so fast it was like someone had ripped her from the ground. She spun around, stormed back to Harry and slapped him across the face. Hard.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again, do you hear me?" she yelled, her eyes flashing with fury. "Not while my back is turned and not while you know you need me but are too proud to fucking admit it!" she screamed in his face.

Harry recovered quickly from the shock of being slapped and grabbed her hand. "You're pushing this into an area I can't be responsible for you in. If you go over there without my consent, you will be arrested. You're already been given a warning Ginny…"

"This is my _job_ Harry!" she said, her voice almost drowned out by the roar of the Dragon. "Don't you know who that is?" she demanded, pointing at the dragon.

"_Who_?" Harry echoed, confused.

"That's Norbert, Harry!" Ginny yelled, her eyes flashing.

Harry's eyes widened as he looked back at the massive Dragon in a new light. Its teeth were bared at its yellow eyes were scanning the scene dangerously. "That's Norbert? _Hagrid's_ Norbert?" he asked, stunned. "Baby Norbert who bit Ron?"

"Yes, Norbert! How do I know? Because he grew up in our camp Harry!" Ginny said angrily. "We're wasting time with this feud. Just let me go over there, dammit!"

"I can't do that!" Harry yelled, no longer mad but desperate. "Ginny, please. If you want to stay, then I cant make you leave… but do not go over there. Let us handle it."

Ginny glared at him for a moment, before giving him a sneer and folding her arms over her chest. Harry sighed in relief, thankful that he had at least gotten her out of the way for a moment so he could work this out.

"Ginny, I know it's your job, but this isn't Romania, and you are not technically a part of out Ministry." He said regretfully, and with that turned back to Parker.

_Jesus, just when things couldn't get any worse…_ he thought, rubbing his eyes. "Parker, tell me you have some idea where Peregriene is at least. Make my day one that won't lead me to a bridge."

"We do. He's in custody waiting for you to cook him." Parker said, rubbing his injury. "So, got your girlfriend to go home did you?" he asked, looking over Harry's shoulder.

"What? No, she's right…" Harry spun around to point at Ginny.

But she had vanished.

And suddenly, there was an ear-splitting roar.

Harry's head snapped around to see Aurors running everywhere in confusion, their wands out but apprehensive about approaching for some reason. They were looking at Harry, awaiting instructions.

And moving among them, fast, was a bob of long red hair.

"Ginny! _No_!" he yelled, running forward.

But she was too far away. Her face was set and determined as she shoved her way through the black cloaks toward the Dragon, her cloak billowing out behind her with rage.

"What's that barmy girl doing?" someone cried, looking at Harry in amazement.

"Potter, get her back!" Parker cried, looking at Harry and Ginny in quick succession.

But Harry didn't do anything. He watched on as all the other Aurors ran away, Ginny moved forward with an aura of power he had never seen around her before. She stopped a few feet away from the Dragon, lifted her wand and waved it a little to get Norbert's attention.

Norbert stopped his thrashing against his binds for a single moment and looked around at Ginny. His eyes narrowed and all at once, he turned to face her completely, inhaled sharply through his nose and blew out a stream of fire straight at her.

"_GINNY_!" Harry roared, running forward.

But in the same moment, Ginny had simply created a shield with her wand and the fire slithered around her like water around a rock. Norbert looked at her in confusion for a moment, and went to rear up again when Ginny threw her wand aside, lifted her hand and began talking in some ancient language.

"Potter, we have to get her out of there!" Parker yelled.

"No, wait." Harry said, holding up his hand as he kept his eyes on Ginny.

Something was happening. It was if the panic and uncertainty in the air was ebbing away as Ginny spoke. Her eyes were locked with Norbert's yellow ones as he glared down at her, her hand still held up in the dragon's direction.

Ginny smiled up at him, her demeanor softening and her stance becoming looser. She put her thumb, third and fourth finger down and left her index and pinkie finger point outward in a sort of sign. The she proceeded to take a few tentative steps towards Norbert, still chanting under her breath.

Harry couldn't believe what he was seeing. Norbert had now completely stopped resisting his binds and simply watched Ginny as she edged closer and closer. The air around them was now cooler yet humid from the summer heat, and Harry became aware of how quite it had become.

Ginny let her hand drop a little and stopped chanting, satisfied that Norbert had now calmed enough. She held her hand out completely now and to everyone's amazement, Norbert knelt down and laid his head on the ground in front of Ginny like an obedient dog.

Ginny smiled closed the distance between them and slowly ran her hands along his nose, stroking his tough scales softly, muttering soothingly under her breath in English again.

It was so silent you could have heard a pin drop. The amazement of what one girl could do that thirty armed wizards could not hung in the air like a bad smell. Ginny had turned this violent, untamable creature into nothing but a large softie that was actually falling asleep, simply because of her touch.

"That's it." Ginny whispered, walking around his huge head to stroke the area near his ears. "Just relax now." Norbert had been one of her favorite Dragons during her time at the camps, and they had spent many hours together.

Harry couldn't move from the shock, and only then did the realization of what Ginny did for a living hit him. It had been somewhat of a novelty when it came to Dragons and handling them. Having never seen such things first hand, the true impact of such work had not struck him until now.

And it was _Ginny_ doing it. Ginny, who used to put her elbow in butter at the mere sight of him. Ginny, who left damp towels in the bathroom after a shower. Ginny, his best friends little sister…

"Harry?" Ginny called, her eyes still firmly locked on Norbert's.

Harry blinked. "Yeah?"

"Come over here. Walk. Slowly." Ginny said, smiling at Norbert.

Harry felt the shiver of uncertainty move around the circle of his colleagues like a Mexican wave as he slowly made his way over. No, he didn't trust the dragon to stay dormant like that when he went over… but he did trust Ginny.

Ginny tore her eyes away form Norbert and watched as Harry came over, his body tense and his wand clutched tightly in his hand. "You need to get him out of here." She said.

"No shit Sherlock." Harry chuckled. "But how? Portkey?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, you'd need a Port-mountain instead of a key to get him back to Romania." She said, still petting Norbert softly. The dragon's eyes were fluttering and he was snoring a little. "There's a camp just on the outskirts of Dublin… a little one. Not too well know, but they have the room. We can take him there and they can work out the arrangements. It's too far to fly him all the way back to Romania." Ginny said.

Harry looked at her. "_Fly him_?"

"Well, how else do you plan to get him there? Mail him?"

"And who's going to fly him?" Harry asked, although he knew the answer.

Ginny smiled at him and leant against Norbert. "I will."

"Boss!"

Harry and Ginny looked to see Parker, who was edging his way over ever so carefully look at both of them as if they were a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

"Yes Parker?"

"You can't seriously be thinking about letting her _fly_ this thing?" he laughed softly, eyeing Norbert with caution. "I mean, people can't fly Dragons."

"People can't tame Dragons either, as you've just seen." Ginny said smugly.

Parker looked at her in amazement for a moment, before shaking his head and looking at Harry. "Come on Harry, be reasonable. We can just find another way. Try stunning him again, under his belly where his hide isn't so thick."

Harry looked at Ginny for the longest time, taking in more of her features than he meant to. She looked determined and adamant, just as she had on so many occasions when they had fought problems together.

He blinked and felt something shift inside him. A realization that screamed at him what an idiot he had been to ever deny feelings for this woman beside him.

"What do you need?" he asked her.

"A harness. Or rope will do if you've got it." She said, as if not quite believing he was about to let her do this.

There was silence between the three of them, broken only by the heavy breathing of the Dragon beside them and the surrounding wizards cleaning up the mess before Harry finally sighed and looked at Parker.

"You heard her. Get some rope."

Parker's mouth dropped open. "Are you _insane_?"

"Yes, I suppose I am." Harry said, folding his arms over his chest.

"You can't authorize this!" Parker cried in outrage. "Just because Tonks isn't here…"

"You're right. Tonks _isn't_ here. And as such I am in charge of this outfit by rank and command. Now either you do as I'm ordering you Parker, or you will find yourself court-martialed for insubordination!" Harry growled, his eyes flashing.

Parker glared at Harry for a long moment, obviously fighting the urge to snap back. But after a moment, he finally gave Harry a curt nod and walked off.

Ginny looked at Harry in amazement as he turned to her. "If you're going, you are going to have a team with you. I won't have you flying him by yourself, no matter how good you think your abilities are. We'll be flying along side you and if the slightest thing goes wrong…" he trailed off. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, obviously quite tired. "I'll get some guys to help you disillusion him, as well as yourself. I need to take care of Peregriene."

Ginny opened her mouth to respond, but he walked had walked off to gather his team. She sighed and turned back to the Dragon. "Well Bert, guess I'd better disillusion you. Cant have more muggles seeing you than nessecary."

* * *

In the past, all troubles he had been carrying on his shoulders would be automatically left behind whenever he left the ground and soared into the air. But this time seemed to be an exception to that rule. Perhaps he had too many trouble to disregard.

Or perhaps it was because he'd never supervised escorting a Dragon to a camp before.

While they were all disillusioned, they were flying above the clouds out of sight from muggles below as they flew over the country, the night sky clear above them. There were ten Wizards all circling the main blur in the middle, its wings rhythmically beating up and down as it soared a few feet below them. It had taken quite a few of them to make Norbert invisible, but they had finally done it.

Harry looked at the Dragon-shaped blob now and saw the blurred outline of a woman up near its neck, her cloak and hair billowing out behind her as she steered him towards the camp. Although he couldn't see her, he knew she was beautiful. He knew she would have had a smile on her face as the wind whipped through her hair, made her cheeks turn pink and her eyes water.

Somehow, now that he had gotten used to the idea, it seemed rather natural for her to be in this line of work. She had a dragon's personality. Powerful, dangerous, fiery… yet magical and in a way held her own beauty. How could he have doubted her back there? As if she didn't hate him enough already, not showing faith in her abilities would definitely put the icing on the cake.

"Are we there yet?" Called one of the wizards over the wind.

Harry chuckled to himself as Ginny answered "Just a bit further!"

And indeed, after just a few more minutes Ginny was giving the signal to begin their decent. When they ducked down below the clouds, Harry was amazed to see a massive expanse of land, containing paddocks lit by torches with a few smaller dragons in each, but definitely leaving enough room for a massive-sized species like Norbert.

Ginny landed first with a dull THUMP, the escorts all landing around her and making themselves visible again.

Harry landed near Parker, watching as Ginny slid off Norbert, said something to him and hurried off to greet a few wizards all ready rushing over, looking like all their Christmases had come at once.

"Oh, thanks Parker." Harry said as his second in command took the spell off him.

"No problem Boss."

Harry did the same for him and then looked back over at Ginny, now back to her visible state. It was hard to see in the dark, but he could see that she was talking to obviously the head of the camp, a tall very well built man with brown hair and long leather robes. Other handlers were making their way over to Norbert, using the same techniques Ginny had used to lead Norbert over to one of the paddocks and out of sight.

"She really came through." Parker said.

Harry smiled and nodded as he watched Ginny point to Norbert, then launch back into conversation, her hands moving a lot as she spoke very fast.

"Yeah, she did." Harry agreed.

Parker shuffled his feet a little in a bashful fashion. "Listen Harry… about back at the Glen? I'm sorry for my behavior. It was wrong of me to disregard a direct order and…"

"Parker, you don't need to apologize." Harry laughed, clapping Parker on the shoulder. "If it were me, I would have done the same. And feel free to call me a mental case any time you think I need a good blow to my ego."

Parker laughed and nodded. "Sure thing boss, anytime."

He smiled as Parker made to move off and slung his broom over his shoulder. He turned his attention back to Ginny and watched as she nodded at the man, shook his hand with a smile and then made her way back over to him.

"They'll check him over, make sure Peregriene didn't hurt him in anyway and then transport him back over to Charlie." She said flatly, putting her hands in her back pocket.

Harry nodded. "Okay. Good of them to do it on such short notice."

"Yep." Ginny said.

There was a momentary awkward silence in which details of what had transpired yesterday came back to them in full assault. Ginny looked at him. She still wanted to talk to him, but her anger at him not trusting her with Norbert was taking first priority at the moment.

"Well, don't say thank you or anything." She snapped.

And before Harry could even open his mouth to respond, she had disappeared with a pop.

Ginny reappeared in her room back at the house, absolutely irritated beyond belief. She kicked off her shoes, pulled her cloak off over her head, balled it up and threw it hard onto the bed with a cry.

How could things have gotten so buggered up in such a short amount of time? If only she could take yesterday back. Being friends with him was better than this… whatever it was. Perhaps she could memory charm him and make him forget that she had revealed her feelings for him.

But no, that would be just stupid. She told him because she wanted him to know. Because she couldn't take hiding it anymore. Because she thought that maybe there was a snowballs' chance in hell that he would feel the same.

CRACK. "Ginny?"

She spun around and with no small amount of outrage, found Harry standing in the middle of her room, completely clean from the dirt he had been covered in before, yet still dressed in the same clothes.

"Get out." She snapped, turning away from him.

"Don't be like that." Harry groaned.

"And how would you like me to be Harry?" she demanded loudly, turning back around to face him. "I can't just pretend nothing happened. I can't be like you."

She knew her words had stung by the look on his face, but he didn't say anything in response. So, she took his silence and let a good tongue-lashing commence.

"You don't trust me to do my job! Do you know how that feels? Think of all the Aurors that would have gotten injured, simply because you didn't think I was competent enough to handle one Dragon."

"You're saying that like he was some little bunny rabbit gone feral!" Harry shouted. "I understand how you felt, but it was professional. You're making this more personal than it needs to be Ginny."

"It is personal when you embarrass me like that in front of all those people!" Ginny yelled. "Was it some sort of kick for you? Making the little witch feel bad in front of your friends?"

"Don't be thick!" Harry retorted angrily. "If I wasn't there, Tonks would have told you the same thing. You're only getting upset because of what happened yesterday."

"I am not…"

"Will you two _shut up_?" shouted a new voice.

Harry and Ginny both jumped and looked around to see Ron standing in the doorway, half asleep but obviously extremely irritated.

"It is one thirty in the bloody morning, and Hermione is trying to get some sleep!" Ron snapped, giving them both a glare.

Ginny and Harry blushed, feeling guilty for keeping Hermione up. "Sorry." They muttered.

Ron rolled his eyes at them and left without another word.

Ginny glared at Harry for a moment, before walking to the door, shutting it and placing a silencing charm on the door so they would not be heard.

Harry put his hands on his hips as Ginny took a step toward him, her anger back in full. She seemed content to glare at him for a moment, and he was equally content to let her. She had every right to be pissed off at him.

"Do you even care?" she finally asked. "Do you? Does it matter to you at all that I risked my neck tonight to help you and you don't give me any credit? Do you care that I spent the whole night last night, crying into my tea over you?"

Harry remained quiet as she took another step towards him, feeling another slap coming on.

"Do you feel anything anymore but the love of your job Harry?" she yelled in his face. "You wanted a life for work? Well congratulations, you got it!" she cried angrily. "God, I'm so frustrated and tired I can even think straight."

Harry still said nothing, but continued to look at her.

Ginny glared at him. "Say something." She snapped. She let out a strangled cry of anguish and slapped him hard in the arm. "_Say_ something you son of a…"

But that was as far as she got, for her words had been muffled by his lips covering hers in a very sudden, insistent kiss. His hands held her face firmly in place as at she stiffened against him in shock.

And in an instant, he pulled back, breathing hard. Ginny stared at him in disbelief, her mind quite unable to determine what had just happened. And the look on his face showed he was as surprised as she was. It had happened so fast and so sudden that surely she had imagined it, but the tingling feeling left on her lips suggested otherwise.

His face looked scared an uncertain, but Ginny was tingling all over. _Don't do it!_ Her mind screamed as her body moved forward.

_Oh sod off_. She answered herself as she did the only thing that made sense.

She slid her hand up around to the back of his neck and brought his lips crashing back down to hers.

Harry moaned and slid his arms around her, backing her into the wall. The fire between them had suddenly been turned into a raging inferno, and there seemed only one conceivable way to put it out. They kissed with urgency, ran their hands over each other with greed and all the while tried to keep their sanity within reach.

"Harry…" Ginny moaned as he made his way down her neck, nibbling in various places along the cords of her throat.

Harry pressed himself into her, making both of them groan from the friction it caused in their lower regions. Harry himself was already noticeably aroused, and Ginny was not far off the mark.

Ginny kissed him again hungrily, their breath coming out in sharps raps as their need for air came a close second to the all consuming need to kiss each other. Harry ran his hands down her legs and around to her backside. Getting the point of what he wanted, she jumped up and wrapped her legs around his waist, still letting him press her against the wall.

"Oh God," Harry moaned as she ran her hands down his chest to his pants. "No, wait Ginny…"

"What?" Ginny asked, rolling her eyes.

Harry looked at her in the eye for a moment, his breathing heavy. "I just… before we do this, I want you to know something."

"You do love me." Ginny smiled.

Harry nodded. "Yes, I do."

"Even though you said you didn't?"

Harry nodded. "I should have said… I know I…"

"Shh." She said, putting a finger over his lips. "In the morning."

Harry looked at her for a moment, before smiling and kissing her finger. "In the morning." He repeated.

Ginny smiled and kissed him, this time slower and more passionately. All her anger had just ebbed away, and now it seemed rather silly to be angry at him for not telling her for the simple reason of her wanting him to.

But then again, that may have just been her hormones talking.

Harry smirked a little as he kissed her, pleased but not all together surprised that she was very good at what she was doing. He knew she wasn't a virgin, and that she had had partners in the past. But was this what he had missing out on all these years? Oh boy, he would have to have been the stupidest thing in God's creation.

Finally, feeling it would be rather uncomfortable for her to be pressed against this wall any longer; Harry spun them around and headed towards the bed. It was closer than he anticipated, sending them both crashing onto it, laughing into each other mouths. Harry felt his way down her shoulders and her torso to the bottom of her shirt and without any reserve, lifted it up over her head. She arched her back up to give him move access to the back of her bra, and he unclasped it with surprising ease.

And there she sat, naked from the waist up in all her glory. Harry only took a moment to admire, before kissing her neck once more and cupping her breast with his right hand.

Ginny moaned in pleasure as he sucked on her neck – one of her personal spots or weakness – and made his way down to join his hands. When he took one of her hardened nipples into his mouth, she let out a little squeak of enjoyment. She wanted to be quiet for some reason.

"You are wearing too many clothes." She said, making him look at her.

Harry didn't even have time to protest as she pushed him off her and onto his back. He let out a small laugh as she lay down on top of him, kissing him slowly while unbuttoning the front of his shirt button by button. Once the shirt was freed and sent flying to the floor, Ginny sat up a little and raked her hands across his chest. And a fine example it was. She reached into his pocket for his wand and cast the Contraceptive charm between them.

"Just in case." She said, tossing his wand carelessly to the floor.

Harry laughed and let her explore his skin with her mouth. He didn't want to inform her that she was rubbing against his already prominent erection just by stroking his chest. The sensations felt too good to interrupt. But amazingly, she smirked at him, slid down the bed a little more and began on his belt.

"Ginny, you're not going to…"

"Shush." She said, pulling him free of his jeans. She came back up, plucked his glasses off his nose and placed them softly on her bedside table. "Just trust me."

She tucked her fingers on either side of his boxers and gave them a yank downward, freeing him completely of his last barrier. She stared at the only part of his anatomy that had gone undiscovered by her until now. He was long, not too thick and hard as a rock. She quickly took his shoes and socks off, before running her hand up the inside of his thigh and grasping his length.

He let out a sort of hiss and Ginny wondered for a moment if perhaps he had swore in Parseltongue. But, as she lay down beside him and began stroking him, she saw that this was not the case, and that he was simply a male enjoying a girl pulling him off. His face of ecstasy was magnificent as she watched him, his eyes shut as he mumbled incoherently. She slung a leg through his and pressed herself against him more, wanting him to feel more. Wanting his pleasure to increase beyond anything he had ever felt.

Harry's eyes flew open and he looked at Ginny, the pressure building as she continued to stroke him in a way he could never had managed on his own. And she was ill prepared for him taking her wrist away from him and flipping her over so he was back on top, his throbbing penis pressing against the inside of her thigh.

Without a word of explanation, he unbuttoned the front of her jeans, pulled them off and threw them to the floor. Ginny's sensitive area's fluttered with anticipation as he ran his hands up the soft, untouched skin of her thigh as she had done with him… yet he did nothing more that that. She moaned in frustration and enjoyment as he teased her, touching everywhere but where she wanted it most.

At long last, he pulled her remaining articles of clothing away and slowly ran a finger over the entrance to her warm centre, feeling her dampness. Her readiness for him. It was intoxicating as she watched him without any trace of nervousness, and as he slid one finger inside her and watched her face contort with the pleasure, he knew he'd never want to look at any other woman in this way again.

Ginny's hips rolled as he stroked her hypersensitive flesh, her moans becoming louder of their own violation. He kissed her and moved back down to take one of her nipples back into his mouth, worshiping her body. His long, elegant fingers which used to look so good catching the snitch or casting spells were working their own magic on her. Too bad it took her so long to appreciate their other uses. Who had taught him to do this? Oh hell, it didn't matter. He was touching her in exactly the right spot, but this didn't seem unusual. In fact, in seemed perfectly natural for him to know how best to touch her, just as she seemed to know how best to touch him.

Harry, without realizing it, was rubbing his pelvis up against her hip as she rode his hand, sucking on her skin like it were candy. Her moans were soft and made his already heightened arousal jump to a new plateau. He was hot from the heat of the summer and the heat of two bodies, wanting each other with a fire that had started years before, and had intensified in the last few weeks.

"Harry…" she whispered, lifting his head and kissing him. "Please…"

Needing no more invitation, Harry took his hand away and replaced it with himself. He propped up on his elbows a little and looked down at her. Her hair was splayed across the pillow, creating a fiery halo around her. She was beautiful, and she was his. Just as he was hers.

He hovered above her entrance for a moment, feeling all of a sudden hesitance. Sensing this, Ginny parted he legs more and linked her legs around his, brining him closer. And then, in one quick movement, he thrust into her. Ginny buried her head in his shoulder and let out a cry at the almost orgasmic invasion. He filled her up and was exactly what she needed. She had wanted him for so long, and she loved him so much, it was almost too perfect.

Harry caught his breath from the incredible feeling of being inside her. She was warm, wet and tight and felt amazing around him. He looked at her face and saw she was smiling at him.

"Go slow." She whispered, kissing him.

"I thought you didn't like to go slow." He smirked.

Ginny laughed. "Less talking, more shagging if you please."

Harry kissed her again and slowly began moving. It only took them a moment to find a steady rhythm together and it wasn't long before they were both moaning deeply, Harry increasing his speed as he withdrew and entered again at a maddeningly slow pace. Ginny sighed, threw her head back and slid her hands down his back to grasp his butt, her legs widening that little bit further to allow him more entry. Their bodies already slicked with sweat from the summer head slid against one another easily, the feeling of her breasts rubbing against his chest making him almost lose it.

Harry felt Ginny squeeze his hips with her thighs and, knowing what she wanted, rolled over onto his back with her now on top. She sat up a little and kissed him, her long red hair creating a curtain around their faces as she began to rock against him, riding him. She threw her head back and gasped at the ceiling, crying out his name. He sat up a little and ran his hands along her soft skin, up and down her back, along her legs, across her breasts. It had never been like this with any other partners they both had had. It had not been anywhere this intense; this exhilarating…

Ginny let out a little scream of pleasure as Harry rolled them back over so he was on top and began thrusting into her once more, a little faster and more insistent. He collapsed a little against her, burying his head in her shoulder. She could feel his heavy breathing; hear every word he was whispering. The feeling of ecstasy was becoming so intense she felt she might literally go mad.

"Oh… Harry…" she moaned, raking her fingernails across his back.

Harry get out another grunt and slowed down, but increased the friction. With the movement of her hips moving over his length, stroking him in the way only a woman could and with him vibrating inside her, they knew it would soon be over.

Finally, Ginny closed her eyes, buried her face in his shoulder and let out a loud cry of ultimate pleasure as the orgasm took her, more powerful than she had ever experienced. Harry let out another low growl and moments later he shuddered and collapsed against her, spent, as she felt him spill inside of her as she still rode hers out.

Both breathing hard, neither of them moved for a moment. Ginny didn't mind that Harry was practically laying all his weight on top of her. It was comfortable, and with him still being nestled inside her while she came down was enough to make her smile.

Harry lifted his head and looked at her, beads of sweat running down his forehead. He quirked an eyebrow to see that she was smiling. In fact, now that he noticed, she was actually giggling.

"I wasn't _that_ bad was I?" he asked, pulling out.

Ginny laughed as he rolled over onto his back. She rested her hands on his chest and slithered up to kiss him. "You've got to be kidding me. Who would have thought you'd be so good in the sack?"

Harry laughed. "Careful dear, my ego."

"Ah, sod it. Lets do that again." She said, her eyes widening at the challenge.

"Whoa! Kill the motor for a second." Harry laughed as she began kissing her way back down his torso. "Let's not overestimate my stamina here."

"You're young, you have heaps of stamina." She said, kissing him firmly.

Harry smiled against her and found himself quite willing to just snog her. She was, after all, very good at it. It was an amazing thought to process that just an hour ago, he had been as distant from her as North to South, and now here they were, in each others arms.

Ginny slung her arm around his middle and snuggled into him, not caring that she was naked and exposed.

"We need to talk about this." Harry said finally.

"Yes, I know." Ginny nodded. "But in the morning."

Harry smiled and nodded, stroking her back softly as the haze of sleep began to take over.

"In the morning."

* * *

A/N – A long chapter, but I had a feeling with that ending you all wouldn't mind so much. And I know I got that quote from Spiderman, but it love that moment and it fitted so well! I also apologize for my horrible overuse of the word 'Pleasure', because I couldn't get my hands on a Thesaurus.

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8! Ah, the day after! Shiver with the excitement, I know you want to!

* * *

Harry wished in that moment that he was in possession of a camera. The scene before him was so perfect, so beautiful that he wanted to capture it forever and when he was old and grey and could no longer remember his own name, he could pull out the old photo from his draw of a beautiful unknown woman with long red hair, sleeping soundly in his bed.

But to him now, she was not unknown. She was Ginerva Molly Weasley, wonder of his world and keeper of his heart and soul. Pity it took him so long to finally pull his finger out and figure this little bit of information out.

Well, better late than never.

He was sitting in the armchair beside his bed, dressed in only his jeans. He had been sitting there for hours, simply watching her sleep, admiring her in a way that invoked no question or curiosity from others. It was a good opportunity to just look without being asked as to why he was doing so. She was beautiful when she slept. She was lying on her side facing him, her arm tucked up under the pillow and her mouth was open a little. The sheet covering her had ridden down her torso in the middle of the night, leaving her chest exposed.

Harry reached for his wand on the floor at his feet and with a wave, turned the radio on to a soft volume. But much to his disappointment and guilt, it was loud enough as Ginny groaned and her eyes fluttered open. She looked at the empty spot beside her and frowned, before looking up and seeing him seated near the window.

He smiled as her concern melted away and she flopped back down on the bed once more, retuning the warm smile. She didn't say anything at first, but simply looked at him with an expression similar to the one he had been wearing while watching her sleep.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, propping her head up in her hand.

"Aphrodite." Harry said.

Ginny laughed and fanned herself with her hand. "Hoo, that was smooth. Haven't heard that one before I must say!" she giggled.

Harry chuckled and Ginny stretched out like a cat with a little groan. She ran a hand through her hair and yawned. It was giving Harry a very good view of her top, naked half, but Ginny didn't seem to mind at all.

She rolled back to her side and looked at him, taking in every detail of his face. It had grown more adult in her absence, and there were lines she didn't remember him having those years ago. His eyes were still that dazzling green however, and his hair messy as ever.

_Eyes as green as a pickled toad, hair as black as a chalkboard…_ Ginny thought with a smile.

Harry shifted a little in his seat, but he did not take his eyes off her. "I'm sorry I hurt you." He said finally, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Ginny's expression didn't change at all. "Why?"

Harry frowned. "What do you mean why? I _never_ meant to hurt you Ginny…"

"No, I mean, why did you say you didn't love me, even though you did?" she asked blatantly. She wasn't mad or upset, simply curious.

Harry clenched his jaw, but did not look away. "I was scared." He admitted.

"Scared? But you're not scared of anything." Ginny said.

"Yes,' Harry insisted. 'Yes, I am. Of a great deal many things."

Ginny frowned. It seemed so unlike him to be scared of anything. The concept was hard enough to grasp, let alone simply the idea of him being afraid of anything. He was so much a Gryffindor he was practically the descendant of Godric himself. What did such a powerful wizard have reason to be scared of the admittance of love for?

Harry ruffled his hair messily from the back and sighed. "Do you remember my seventh year?" he asked. "When I went four days without talking to anyone?"

Ginny nodded. "Yeah, I don't think I'd ever been as frustrated with anyone as I was with you then." She smiled.

Harry smirked faintly. "Well, what you don't know is that I tried to leave… for good. I wasn't coming back." He said seriously. "No-one knew… only Ron. He was the one I barreled into, heading for the Astronomy tower with my Firebolt." He chuckled softly at the memory.

"You tried to leave?" Ginny asked incredulously. "But Harry…"

"Well, obviously I didn't get very far did I? Didn't even get to the fifth floor before I ran into your brother." He said. "Anyway, the reason I wanted to run was because I felt I wasn't strong enough. Strong enough to risk taking you all out with me to the gates of hell, because I knew you would have come with me anywhere. I knew what Voldemort wanted… he wanted me. Just me. And there was no way I was going to let him go through my friends so he could get what he wanted.

"My life is scarcely different than it used to be Ginny. You have no idea the amount of hate mail or death threats I get on a weekly basis, all from wizards out there who want to destroy the kind of world I fought for and still continue to. Its bad enough that Ron and Hermione live here and are known to be my friends but…" he trailed off and put his head in his hands.

Ginny didn't know what to say. She wanted to do several things at once, but instead stayed completely still and allowed him to finish.

"I loved you too much to put you in danger Ginny. Admitting something like that out loud… I felt like I would have been signing your death warrant. I've never really told anyone I love them, not anyone. And saying it to you when I care for you so much…" he stopped again and fixed her with an intense look. "I was just trying to protect you." He finally muttered.

Being the independent woman she was, Ginny's first instinct was to tell him firmly that she was a grown woman, and did not need protection from him or anyone else. But once the moment had passed, she found herself figuring out why this had been an issue for him for so long.

"So, what changed your mind?" she asked.

Harry smiled at her warmly. "Seeing you with Norbert, was probably the greatest, most awesome thing I've ever seen you do… and that includes your kick-ass attitude when playing Quidditch or when you put itching powder in Snape's Floo pot."

Ginny laughed and blushed. "It was nothing special."

"_Nothing special_?" Harry repeated incredulously. "Are you mental? You were _amazing_ Ginny… not to mention sexy as all hell." Harry laughed. "But, I realized that you don't need my protection, and that you never really had. That I respected you enough to make your own decision, and if you tell me you love me and want to be with me… well, who am I to argue?" he shrugged.

Ginny felt her heart swell as he got up out of the chair and lay down on the bed beside her, taking her hand in his.

"I'm not scared anymore Ginny." he said, his nose so close to hers they were almost touching. "If there's trouble, I want to face it with you. If I have a horrible day at work and come home grouchy, I want you to be the one I come home and grumble about it to."

Ginny giggled and stroked a hand through his hair.

"I want to go to sleep loving you, and wake up the next morning living you just that little bit more than I did the day before. I want to sit with you out on the veranda when we're old and grumpy with no teeth in rocking chairs, mumbling about the kids of today!" he said.

Ginny laughed. "You want all that with me?" she asked, feeling excited about just the simple ideals of it all.

Harry looked at her warmly and lifted her hand to his mouth to kiss her fingers. "I want to die with you loving me Ginny. You and none other."

Ginny smirked, leant forward and gave him a soft, lingering kiss. "Not only is he winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile award, he also knows exactly how to sweep a woman off her feet. Ladies and Gentleman, I give you… Harry James Potter!"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Shut it wench." He commanded and kissed her again.

It was all good for her to have her moment of fun, but all that he had just told her was no laughing matter. She knew that he had practically just bared his soul to her in a way he would trust with none other, and it gave her a thrill. To know that he really did trust her in one of the most intimate of ways make her heart swell with happiness.

Harry rolled her over and lay on top of her, enjoying the feeling of her beneath him once more. She laughed into his mouth and pushed him away a little.

"Urgh, I must have horrible morning breath Harry." She groaned, screwing up her face in distaste.

Harry smiled and bent to kiss her neck. "I don't care."

"Hmm, that wasn't the right answer." Ginny sang, massaging his back a little as he sucked on her neck.

"I don't care about that either."

"Yes well… nevertheless…" Ginny giggled, pushing Harry away and sliding out from underneath him '… I'm rather peckish anyway. You want food?" she asked, grabbing up random clothes.

"Only if you're wearing it." Harry said, lying on his back and folding his hands behind his head.

Ginny threw him a look over her shoulder and marched off towards the door, dressing herself as she went. "Then I'm sorry to say you're going to go hungry." She said with a coy smile.

Harry laughed. "Just go eat." He said.

Ginny blew him a kiss and pulled the shirt over her head just as she entered the hallway.

"Oh, and Ginny, you were just joking about that Smile Award thing? Weren't you? Ginny?"

* * *

"Urgh, stupid nausea… can't just stop… get out of me already…" Hermione grumbled, as she dragged herself down the hall from the bathroom towards the kitchen. She rubbed her belly fondly and yawned widely, vaguely ware of Ginny sitting at the bench with her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee.

"Morning." Hermione said, going straight to the cupboard.

"Mmm, morning." Ginny said, smiling at her sister-in-law. "You look a little peaky… rough night?"

"Ha!" Hermione cried, rummaging through the pantry. "You try having a good night's sleep with a boxing match going on in your uterus, not to mention your husband snoring so loud he's competing against a Hogwarts Express – for goodness sakes, where are the bloody Oreo's?" Hermione added, now quite apparently frustrated.

Ginny giggled. "Bottom shelf."

Hermione bent down as much as was physically possible and let out a triumphant cry as she seized her favorite biscuits. She then went to the fridge to retrieve a jug of Pumpkin juice and placed them on the bench on front of Ginny.

"So, do you feel up to having – oh my god you've had sex!" Hermione cried suddenly.

Ginny coughed into her coffee and looked up at Hermione with wide eyes. "Wha… what was that?"

"You have!" Hermione said, pointing at Ginny.

"I don't know what makes you think that." Ginny said, although she was blushing furiously and not looking Hermione in the eye.

"You don't? Well, lets assess your situation shall we, just for a moment. You're wearing your make up from yesterday, your hair is all over the place because you didn't brush it… and Ginny, come on, you're wearing Harry's shirt." Hermione said, giving Ginny a once over.

Ginny ran a hand through her hair and cleared her throat. "Well, yes… and there is a perfectly good explanation for all that."

Hermione quirked an eyebrow and filled her glass. "Oh yes, and what's that?"

"_We had sex_!" Ginny whispered.

Hermione and Ginny let out an excited squeal, before Ginny hushed them, waving her hand to make sure they weren't heard.

"Shh, don't let on." Ginny hissed, looking over her shoulder.

"What happened to your set-back then?" Hermione asked, rubbing her belly with a slight wince.

"It two five steps forward." Ginny shrugged simply. "Oh Hermione, if only you could understand how good this feels, having this all out in the open finally…"

"You know, surprisingly, I think I may have an inkling." Hermione chuckled, taking her food and moving over to the sofa. She sat down with a grunt and put her feet up on the coffee table as Ginny came to sit down with her. "Last I heard you were at each other's throats… you know, in a non-hickey type way."

"We were. I really can't explain it Mione. One minute we were screaming at each other and then the next… hoo-ha!" Ginny moaned, rolling her eyes in pleasure at the memories of last night.

Hermione smiled, took a biscuit and dunked it in her pumpkin juice. "I'll start writing out the wedding invites just as soon as I'm able to." She said, munching on her food.

Ginny grimaced a little at the mixture. "Yes well, I think we've got a while to go before we start thinking about that. And don't go saying anything to my mother about it either just yet… she'll go mental."

"You kept our secret about me being in Ron's room for the night when I was meant to be with you, I think it's only fair I repay the favor." Hermione said simply. "Urgh, now I really don't want this. What was I thinking?" she added, glaring at her pumpkin juice.

Ginny smiled as Hermione put her glass down and went straight for the packet of biscuits. "Just think, only a few more weeks of this and then you can go back to standing the smell of chicken."

"I long for the day with a passion beyond mortal comprehension."

"Can I listen?"

Hermione smiled, pulled her shirt up a little and Ginny leant forward, pressing her ear to the massive swell. She wondered if this curiosity with the inner workings of her stomach was some strange Weasley trait, as both Ron and Bill had also done this with her on more than one occasion.

"You know, if I didn't know better I'd say there were _two _peas in your pod Hermione." Ginny said, looking up at Hermione.

Hermione snorted. "Don't be daft. We would know if there were two!"

"Oh I don't know. You are rather large you know." Ginny said, sitting up.

"Hmm, well thanks for that boost to my self-esteem." Hermione huffed, looking away from Ginny.

"You know what I mean! Have the doctors take another look."

"The wizard doctors do not to ultrasounds like Muggle practitioners do. They did spells, and the spells told them the baby – notice my use of the singular – is perfectly fine." Hermione said.

Ginny shrugged. "Okay, I believe you. Now, tell me how best to break the news of my new found relationship to my wonderful, even tempered brother."

* * *

"You look like a man with a secret."

Harry and Ron were down in the basement where most of the gym equipment was kept. Harry looked around the punching bag he was currently attacking furiously with his fists around at his best friend and smiled. "And you look like a nosy pillock, but at least I had the decency not to comment."

Ron laughed and held the punching bag tighter as Harry resumed his workout. "Come on, share it with me."

"Cant, sorry." Harry said, not looking at him.

"Why, is it official Auror business?"

"No, its official 'none of your' business."

"Tripe Harry!" Ron laughed, shaking a little with the force that Harry was using. "If you can't tell me, your best mate and brother in mischief, who the bloody hell _can_ you tell?"

Harry stopped his energetic swipes and straightened up to look at Ron, breathing hard. "You right. I can tell you anything." He said. "But not this."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Why not?"

"Because you'll go ballistic and attack me with silverware, that's why." Harry said, stretching.

Ron let go of the bag and eyed Harry curiously. "What does it have to do with me?" he asked. "Unless… have you been going through my Teddy Bear collection again?" Ron demanded.

Harry laughed. "No! It's not like that."

He wished he could tell Ron. He wanted so desperately to share the good feelings of finally being with the girl he had loved since he was sixteen. But previous experiences told him that just blurting out 'Hey, I shagged your sister' would be a rather suicidal idea. And he knew that telling Ron such information in any context would be like going up against a Manticore armed with nothing but a cocktail sword.

"Look, its something I'm sure you'd rather not know." Harry said, flexing his fingers.

"Ah, so you _do_ want to tell me!" Ron laughed triumphantly. "Are you getting promoted then? Or maybe you've come across a fortune…" Ron suggested, searching for the right one.

"Ron," Harry groaned.

"Come on Harry, you can tell me." Ron said, giving Harry a look.

Harry considered Ron for a long moment, before finding his urge to tell his best friend about his experience of the night before too much to handle, even if the best friend and girl in question did happen to be related.

"Oh alright. But you've got to _promise_ you won't go mental when I tell you." Harry said.

"What? What's all this about…"

"Promise!"

"Okay, okay I promise! Now just tell me for Merlin's sake!"

* * *

"And then he just laid down for me obediently. I knew I could do it because I used to practice with Norbert all the time, and only once did I nearly loose my arm."

"Gee, that sounds like a good place to work."

"Ha ha. Tease all you want, but at least I'm out there doing something rather than sitting in some room in one of the lowest parts of the Ministry, going over Merlin knows what." Ginny retorted.

"At least there's no risk of loosing a limb." Hermione laughed. "Only your sanity."

"Ah yes, definitely the better of both options."

Hermione smiled. "I still can't believe you settled a Dragon without your wand! I wish I could have been there to see it… I'm sure Harry will tell me about it."

"He'll probably just grumble about his inability to keep me away." Ginny giggled.

Hermione smiled and opened her mouth to comment about Harry's ego, when an ear-slipping roar from beneath them in the basement made both women jump.

"YOU AND MY SISTER DID _WHAT_?"

Ginny winced and looked at Hermione. "Oh boy, Harry's likely to come up here slightly decapitated." She muttered.

"Wait for it." Hermione whispered. "Three…two…one…" and she pointed at the hallway.

In that exact moment, the barreling noise of Ron's heavy footfalls increased in volume as he stormed up the stairs and seconds later appeared in the entrance to the living room, his eyes wide with astonishment and confusion.

"You… you…" he stuttered, pointing at Ginny.

She raised an eyebrow. "Me _what?_" she asked. She held back a giggle as she saw out of the corner of her eye Harry slip into the room edging his way along the wall behind Ron.

"You and _him_?" Ron cried, pointing at her and Harry. "You and _her_?" he repeated, glaring at Harry.

"Yes, me and Harry." Ginny said, getting up and going to Harry. She linked her hand with his and stared defiantly at her older brother. "Do you have some issues with this?"

"Yes!" Ron cried. He whirled on Hermione. "Did you know about this?"

"Don't get the pregnant woman involved, she knows nothing." Hermione said flatly, munching on her Oreo.

"Ron, you knew this was going to happen." Ginny said irritably. "Why are you losing your head over it? At least it's Harry and not some loser."

"And trust me; you've had a lot of them in the past." Ron said.

"Oooh, if only I wasn't holding Harry's hand…" Ginny growled, balling her free hand into a fist.

"Yeah, well you know what… _OW_!" Ron cried as suddenly, Hermione heaved herself to her feet and grabbed his ear, pulling him down to her level. "Ow ow ow ow…" he muttered, screwing his face up in pain.

But Hermione was glaring at him. "Stop. being. a. twit." She said through gritted teeth.

"Ron, this isn't just some random thing between us." Harry said. "I love Ginny."

Ron pulled himself free from his wife's clutches and looked at Harry and Ginny, rubbing his ear. He watched the pair of them for a moment, before cracking a smile and letting out a small snigger.

"You do?" he asked, smiling.

Harry exchanged a glance with Ginny. "I do."

"And you love him?" Ron asked his sister.

Ginny smiled and looked up at Harry. "I do."

"Then I pronounce you husband and wife… and it's about fucking time!" Ron cried. And before either of them could do anything about it, Ron had flung his arms around the pair of them in a tight, three-people hug.

"So…" Harry said, looking at Ron in amazement. "So, you're not upset about this?"

Ron smiled and released them. "Well don't get me wrong, half of me wants to beat you to a bloody pulp for touching my sister at all." He chuckled. "But, what Ginny said is true. I'd much prefer her to choose you over some mindless, self-absorbed twonk who won't treat her right."

Ginny folded her arms over her chest. "I'd rather hope you'd think I had better judgment in men than that Ronald Weasley." She said indignantly.

"Well, you _did_ date Michael Corner…"

"We were _fourteen_!"

"Okay, stop!" Hermione shouted, putting herself between them. "Harry and Ginny shagged finally, and Ron is over it and I'm happy for both of you… now can you all shut up and let me watch my show in peace?" she shouted, pointing at the television.

Harry grinned and grabbed Ginny's hand, dragging her down the hall away from Hermione and Ron. Ginny giggled as he looked at her with the expression of someone who had just escaped an encounter with a Blast-Ended Skrewt.

"Well, that went well." Ginny giggled.

Harry rolled his eyes. "One down, seven to go. Ron I can handle, but your brothers… they're going to skin me alive Gin."

"You let me handle the big scary boys… and you can tell my mother." She said.

Harry's mouth dropped open. "How in God's name am I meant to tell you mother that we're sleeping together?"

"Leave out the shagging part and just include the words 'love' and 'together'." She said simply. "Or would you rather tell my father you're shagging his little girl?"

Harry snorted. "Your mother it is."

"Come on." Ginny said, fiddling with the collar of his shirt. "Take me somewhere and romance me in the way only you know how."

"Not a lot of girls ask to be taken you like that so bluntly."

"Well, you'll find I always go for what I want." She said, kissing him teasingly. "And usually get it too."

"Hmm, someone's cocky." Harry said, pressing her against the wall a little.

"Yeah, and apparently it's not me." Ginny said, giving his crotch a little glance.

Harry sighed as Ginny giggled. "Tease me no longer vile temptress… I am at your mercy." He said.

"Take me out." She said again.

"Fine. You get the cloaks, I'll say goodbye to Uncle Henry and Aunty Em and we'll meet back in five… hopefully with my head still attached."

* * *

A/N – Not very long, but I didn't think it really needed to be after the start of it. Hopefully enjoyable all the same.

Please review!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9! I'm sorry about the delay guys, but my Word died! Its my dad's fault, and although he denies any such murderous actions… I know otherwise!

* * *

On normal occasions, Harry would have found no better pastime for his weekend than attending the weekly ritual lunch at the Burrow, hosted magnificently by Mrs. Weasley. What with the food enough for a small country, the raucous chatter presented by all Weasley's seated at the table and the after-meal festivities hosted by none other that Fred and George, it was normally all he could think about after a long week at the office.

But this was no normal occasion.

In fact, as he walked up the dirt driveway towards the house with Ginny at his side on that particular warm, Sunday afternoon, it was taking all his self-control not to turn on his heel and bolt at least ten miles in the opposite direction. He knew in the back of his mind that he was being stupid, but the teenage boy that still took residence most of the time within him was dreading informing the family of their new-found romance.

"Stop being a ninny." Ginny said suddenly, sensing his anxiety. "It's my family, not a paddock full of raging bulls."

Harry snorted. "That, my dear, is _exactly_ what it is."

"I don't see how."

"You wouldn't, you're one of them!"

Ginny rolled her eyes and brushed her hair out of her face with a sigh. "You know, I thought you were going to be different that all the other guys I brought home to meet the family…turns out your even worse."

"We have too much history together."

"Which is why it's so special."

Harry frowned at her. "Stupid women logic – ow!" he cried as Ginny pinched his arm defensively.

Truthfully, Harry would have much preferred to keep news of his and Ginny's new relationship within the confines of the house for another few years. But Ginny had been adamant, and her ways of persuasion were not for public conversation…especially in front of her parents.

"You're just nervous is all. You need to find a way to calm down." Ginny said, heading for the front door.

Harry stopped and watched as she approached the door and raised a hand to knock, before grabbing her hand and yanking her away before she could even give the door a single wrap. She snorted as he dragged her around to the side of the house and out of view.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" she giggled.

Harry smirked and pressed her up against the wall. "Calming myself down." He whispered.

"How in the hell does this calmmmphphph…" but she didn't get to finish as Harry covered her mouth with hers in a kiss.

This risk of the getting caught was high, as they were pressed against the wall that separated them from the kitchen where everyone was bound to be sitting by now. And Harry was kissing her with enough emphasis for it to become difficult to remain silent enough without her quiet, muffled moans sounding, at least, like a dying animal.

"Harry…" Ginny whispered, pulling back. "We're gonna get caught!"

"No we're not." He replied with a smirk, kissing the sensitive spot on her neck. "You're just teaching me CPR."

"What's that?"

Harry rolled his eyes and ran his hands up her sides, making her shiver. "Just shut up… you talk too much as it is."

Ginny was once again denied the chance to retort by him kissing her with such insistence that it left no room for rational thought, let alone any form of argument. Not that she was complaining, far from it in fact. Self-admittance told her that she was totally smitten with him, and who was she to deny a good snog from such a man?

Harry smirked a little as she threw her arms around him, drawing him just that little bit closer. Later on, he would probably feel rather embarrassed to be engaging in such an activity while pressed against the outer wall in the shadow of the Burrow, a place he had called home ever since he were twelve. But the only thought going through his mind was… well nothing actually.

Ginny sighed into his mouth, jumped up a little and wrapped her legs around his waist. She had no idea how this classed as 'calming him down', but it really didn't matter. His hands had slipped up under her shirt and were stroking her back softly.

"We should stop." She breathed.

"Mmm, we should." Harry muttered, breaking the kiss only enough to speak.

But neither of them moved apart.

Harry turned and took a few steps towards the back of the house, still kissing Ginny casually. He stumbled a little on an uneven patch of earth and stumbled, nearly toppling over. Ginny let out a squeal and giggled, but still they did not stop. They would have, had they known this was going to go any further. But it wasn't, and they didn't stop.

_Every girl should be treated like this_. Ginny thought, stroking his face. She could feel his freshly shaved skin, soft and moisturized. He smelt so good and he kissed so slowly and sensually that she considered 86-ing the whole 'Lunch-at-mum's' thing, just so they could go home and snog some more.

Harry took a few more steps forward and suddenly without any warning, his foot snagged on another piece of up-turned earth and the two of them fell to the ground, Harry landing on Ginny with a grunt. She burst out laughing and adjusted his glasses back on his nose.

"Oh, I'm sorry." He said, horrified that he had possibly hurt her. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

But Ginny was still laughing into his shoulder. "No, no, everything's super dooper…"

"Ahem." Came a familiar male voice.

Harry looked up and felt his stomach plummet to new depths. There, sitting out on the lawn at a long outdoor setting, was the entire Weasley family, Fred and George's girlfriends, Fleur Delacour and Hermione. Every single face looked down at them with amazement, save for Ron and Hermione who were red in the face with the effort of suppressing their laughter.

Feeling like he could fry an egg on his face, Harry looked down at himself, knowing what it must look like with him lying on top of Ginny, her legs wrapped around his waist. He looked down at Ginny. She had her head tilted right back and was smiling at the family.

She looked back at Harry and giggled. "Busted."

* * *

"Shoot me now." Harry muttered into his goblet for the tenth time that minute.

Ron clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, buck up. It could have been worse."

Harry looked at him.

"Well, no, actually I don't see how it could have been. But, look in the bright side… at least you didn't have to tell them!' Ron smiled, indicating to his parents down the other end of the table.

Harry looked and a faint smile crept up his face. Ginny was chatting away to her mother and most of the people sitting in close vicinity, no doubt going over the finer details of how she and Harry had come to be together. Mrs. Weasley had not yet managed to wipe the smile off her face, Fred and George were regularly muttering things to each other, sniggering and then looking down the table at Harry, and Percy (thankfully) looked quite impassive. Harry didn't think he would have been able to handle Percy making fun of him.

Ron had told him – after he and Ginny and sorted themselves out and sat down – that because of the weather, they had decided to eat outside instead of inside as they usually did. The reaction of seeing Harry and Ginny fall into the scene connected at the lips had been rather mixed. Mrs. Weasley looked really to send fireworks up into the air she was so happy, Fleur looked very amused, Percy had looked – predictably – a little indignant about the whole affair and Fred and George had expressions on their face that suggested that all their Christmases had come at once.

But it had been Bill and Mr. Weasley's reactions that had bothered him the most. It was the expressions that were blank on the outer, but inside said 'get me my wand and let me at him!'. Harry and not yet been able to look either of them in the eye, and hoped he could go the rest of the afternoon without speaking to them.

"Harry? Could I have a word with you please?"

Harry looked up at see Mr. Weasley looking at him from across the table, wearing that poker face.

_Bugger._ He thought. But he smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Sure." He said, his voice a little higher than normal.

The rose together and Harry, shoving his hands deep into his pockets, followed the Head of the Weasley family away from the table to the back of the tool shed, completely out of sight from the others.

_Damn._ Harry thought. _Now there cant be any witnessed for my murder_.

"No need to look so alarmed Harry." Mr. Weasley chuckled, leaning against the shed next to Harry. " Just thought we could use some privacy."

But Harry couldn't help himself. "Listen, Mr. Weasley, what happened just now… that was totally an accident. Well, I know it didn't look like it but… see, we didn't mean for anyone to… we were going to tell you…"

"Harry!" Mr. Weasley laughed, holding up a hand to put a halt to Harry's rambling. "Will you give me a chance to speak?"

"Right, sorry sir." Harry muttered, blushing.

"_Sir_? Since when have I ever been 'Sir' to you?" Mr. Weasley asked softly, smiling at Harry. "Listen son, normally when Ginny brings home some new chap she's fallen head over heels for I give the speech about how I expect my little girl to be treated and what bodily harm will come to him if he doesn't comply with my conditions."

Harry swallowed.

"But, that was only because they were all shifty… and because I knew they weren't going to be the final one for her. Unlike you." Mr. Weasley added with a smile. "I'm not going to say that seeing you with my little girl like that was something I was terribly in a hurry to see, but I am going to tell you that I'm glad you both pulled your finger out and figured out that you were so obviously right for each other."

Harry resisted the urge to collapse with relief. "So, you're not mad?"

"Mad? Are you daft? This is a _good_ thing Harry! If Ginny's happy, then I'm happy. Nothing in this world is more important to me than seeing my children secure and at peace with their lives, and if you can bring that to her – and I know you do – then I have no quibbles about that." Mr. Weasley said.

Harry smiled. "I know how you feel. And I'm glad I can put a smile on her face just by being there."

"That's my boy." Mr. Weasley beamed, clapping Harry on the back. "Come on, lets get back to the food before Hermione polishes it all off. Such amazing appetite that girl has."

Harry laughed and nodded. "You have no idea."

Feeling much better, Harry's lost appetite suddenly came back to life with interest, and he felt his mouth water with the thought of the food awaiting them at the table.

"Oh and Harry, just one more thing."

"Yes Mr. Weasley?"

"Hurt my little girl, and I will jinx you until the end of the Millennium."

* * *

"This isn't right! You were meant to end up with someone we hate, so we could tease him at Christmas and Easter and family get-together's because he was such a pillock!" cried George in mock outrage.

"Yeah, you were meant to end up with someone who was boring and ugly and totally unambitious. Someone who can't fly and has the sense of humor of a baked bean." Agreed Fred.

"Someone like Percy." George muttered.

Ginny rolled her eyes at the twins, but suppressed a giggled at the reproachable look Percy was throwing them down the table. "Will you two stop it?"

"What? We can't do that stuff with Harry!" George said. "He's one of us!"

"You do it enough to Percy and Ron." Ginny said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah well, they're not really related. The red hair and freckles is just a coincidence." Fred whispered.

"She's right, its not fair of you to tease." Said Colette, Fred's girlfriend. She pushed her brown hair out of her face and helped herself to some more pudding. "I think its sweet personally."

"You would." Fred said, rolling his eyes.

"Ginny, don't listen to anything their saying." Piped up Katie Bell, who was currently dating George. "I agree with Colette and your mother."

"Whose side are you on anyway?" George demanded.

Kate simply smiled, took a piece of cake and stuffed it in George's gaping mouth.

Ginny smiled to herself and watched as Harry and her father came back to the table, sitting down opposite each other. Her father looked pleased with himself, but Harry looked like he couldn't decide to be relieved or scared. Ginny frowned, wondering what it was her father had said to him.

"You want me to curse him for you?" came Bill's voice suddenly in her ear.

Ginny jumped in surprise and turned in her seat to face him. He was squatted beside her, hidden from view from the other end of the table. He had his wand in his hand and his eyes were locked on Harry, who had now recovered and was talking to Fleur across the table.

"I'll give it to him on principle." Bill muttered threateningly.

Ginny sighed. "Touch a single hair on his head and you'll be harassed by flying bogies until the time your seventy." She said simply.

Bill laughed. "Oooh, the little sister is feisty today. And here I thought a good round of snogging made people less tense."

"You would know.' Ginny said, giving him a look.

Bill smiled, stood up a little and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "He hurts you, you let me know first."

"Then you wont be hearing from me for a long time." Said Ginny.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just living up to the role dear. I've yet to corner him and threaten him with bodily harm in your honor, although I don't think I'll have too… he seems freaked out enough as it is, poor chap." Said Bill, giving Harry a sort of pitying look.

Ginny laughed. "He's going to need a good sedative later."

"Or a good shag."

"Bill!"

* * *

"Harry dear, you really don't have to help me with this. Go sit with everyone out in the garden!"

Taking another dish from the rack, Harry smiled at Mrs. Weasley beside him and wiped the crockery dry with the towel. "Nonsense, I don't mind. After all, I can't just leave you to do all this by yourself now can I?"

Mrs. Weasley smiled and dunked another filthy plate into the soapy sink before her. "In all honesty, I could really do this in about thirty seconds, but one risks becoming lazy if they use their wand constantly for every little chore." She bristled.

"Too right." Said Harry, staking the plates as he dried them.

Mrs. Weasley went quiet for a moment, but continued to steal glances at him out of the corner of her eye. Harry, being the keen observer he was, of course noticed this, but felt it would be better for her to speak first. Obviously she had things she wanted to say to him, and truthfully, he had no idea what to say to her about the current situation as it was.

"Harry, may I be so bold as to say something to you in confidence?" Mrs. Weasley said finally.

"She's your daughter." Harry shrugged.

"Yes, and I know you're the one that broke her heart last week. Oh no, she didn't say anything!" Mrs. Weasley added at the look Harry had suddenly given her. "She didn't need to. I know how to read my own daughter Harry Potter, and I know the look any woman gets when her world has been shattered."

Harry didn't say anything. The old guilt surged up within him again and, just for something to do, he went back to the dishes.

"I don't expect you to tell me why or how you did it, as it is none of my business… but I would like some reassurance, as a mother, that nothing you say with ever cause me to see that look on her face again." Mrs. Weasley said, giving him a look.

Harry sighed, put the plate and towel down and leant against the bench. "Mrs. Weasley, how can I promise such a thing? To you or to anyone?" he asked. "I think that part of the reason Ginny and I are so good together is because I'm not afraid to hurt her feelings, nor is she afraid to hurt mine. We don't hold anything back. We'll say things that will sting, but we'll move on because what we have is greater than simple words spoken in the heat of the moment." Said Harry.

Mrs. Weasley considered the man beside her for a moment. He looked pensive, anxious and many other feelings she was not able to put a name to.

Harry smiled at her and ran a hand through his hair. "I can promise to try with everything I possess… but that's all I'm afraid. And that may not be enough for you, but it's all I have. And I know you respect me enough to accept that."

Mrs. Weasley smiled and drew him into a hug. "That's all the reassurance I need dear." She said, giving him a pat on the back.

"At least you didn't threaten me." Harry chuckled as they broke apart.

"Oh pish tosh, don't you listen to a word they say Harry." Mrs. Weasley said, waving a hand dismissevly and going back to the dishes. "Full of hot air those boys are; nothing they say will come to pass. Not if they want to endure the wrath of two Weasley women that is."

Harry laughed. "And with that incentive, I consider myself safe for another day."

* * *

"Intentions?"

"Morally based."

"Underlying schemes?"

"Non-existent."

"Sexual diseases?"

"_What_? Fred, how does that…"

"Answer the question orfeel the wrathHortensia!" Fred cried, poking Harry in the chest with his wand.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Nothing itchy, gooey or puffy to date." He said flatly.

_It had to happen_, he mused. He had been expecting it to happen a lot earlier in fact, but the delay didn't make it any easier to deal with. As soon as everything had settled down, Harry had been (and rather forcefully) dragged from a conversation with Hermione and Colette in the living room by his feet and out to the shed in the backyard, where he was then strapped to a chair and forced to sit under a lamp and answer every question Fred, Ron, Bill or George threw at him.

It was rather amusing actually, to be subjected to the treatment he dished out to wizards on a weekly basis. And had he not been so nervous at what the four Weasleys would do to him if he answered a question to their dislike, he would have played the 'blissfully ignorant' card he received more times that he could count.

Harry sighed and looked at Fred, who was seated directly in front of him with the others standing behind him. "So, is the interview over? Or would Percy like to dish some dirt on me too?" He asked, struggling against his binds in the chair. He had been sitting there for ten minutes and was starting to get an itch in his foot.

"Percy? Ha!" Ron cried as the others shook their heads in shame. "You know, he pretends like he's indifferent to the news that you're with Ginny, but I can tell he's really hexed up about it."

Harry frowned. "What, he doesn't want Ginny with me?"

"Its nothing against you mate." Bill said, pulling his hair out of his ponytail and trying it up again. "Like everything else close to him, Percy has rather… high standards. Probably reckons Ginny should be with someone really important."

"Because defeating You-Know-Who twice in two decades isn't at all important or significant." George said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Silly sod."

Harry smiled. 'Aren't I good enough for her?"

"Are you kidding? There isn't one man on this earth good enough for our little sister." Ron said pompously, making him look rather like Percy. "But, in the absence of perfect men… I guess you're the next best thing." He added with a smile.

"Not like we had much say anyway." Fred muttered, shrugging.

BANG. "What on earth are you four _DOING_?"

All five heads turned to see Ginny, who had just slammed the door open, standing on the threshold with her hands on her hips and an accusatory expression on her face. Fred, who had been sitting in the chair directly in front of Harry, leapt up and smiled hastily at his sister, as did her other brothers.

"Well?" she demanded, taking a step forward. "What are you doing with him?" she asked, pointing at Harry who was still strapped to the chair.

"Er – " Bill stammered, rubbing his neck.

"We were er…" Ron blushed.

"Just playing." George said hastily.

The other's all nodded and muttered in agreement. "Yeah, playing musical chairs." Fred added, causing the others to once again nod and mutter in agreement. Harry smirked; he couldn't help it. It was just too amusing to see these fully-grown men cowering before their little sister much the way they used to for Mrs. Weasley.

Ginny glared at them for a moment, before nodding. "Ah, I see. Musical chairs… without music or other chairs?"

The Weasley's just looked at her.

"For heaven's sake, at least Percy had the sense to simply shake his hand and leave it at that." Ginny snapped, waving her wand at Harry's binds causing them to fall free to the floor. "Now, get out."

"I beg your pardon?" George cried. "We have as much right to be here as…"

"Katie wants you." Ginny said simply, but there was something about her tone. "And Hermione wants you… and Colette wants you… and Fleur _definitely_ want you.' She said, pointing to Ron, Fred and Bill each in turn.

Harry smirked and stood up as all the boys looked at each other, before they all laughed and spoke at once.

"Well, I'd best be going…"

" – I'm feeling a bit peckish actually – "

" – Don't want to leave her alone in her state for too long – "

" – Not interesting in musical chairs much anyway."

And all at once, they rushed towards the door and squeezed out as one, leaving Ginny and Harry alone in the shed with a final slam of the door.

Harry laughed and shook his head while Ginny let out an indignant snort and glared at the closed door. "Bastards. Honestly, so immature… are you all right?" she asked, giving him an apologetic smile.

"You mean did I survive my interrogations without psychological damage?" he asked, closing the distance between them and pulling her into a hug. "Well, I can neither confirm nor deny and signs of insanity at this time."

Ginny smiled and snuggled into him. "They could never break you." She whispered, closing her eyes and relaxing into his embrace. It was their first chance to be alone and just hold each other all afternoon.

Harry sighed and kissed the top of her head. "Well, at least everyone knows now."

'Not everyone. We still have that article to write for the Daily Prophet." Ginny smiled.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes, and then there are the interviews with Witch Weekly and The Quibbler…"

"You having fun at my expense here?" asked Harry with a smile.

Ginny laughed and looked up at him. "Always." She said, giving him a kiss.

Harry paused for a moment, before pulling back a little and looking at her. "You think they're… happy for us?"

Ginny wanted to laugh at the absurdity of this question, but at the look on his face she found she didn't really have the heart to tease him. "Of course they are! Did you not hear my mother talking about wedding plans in there? Did you not see my father beaming at you every time you even mentioned my name? They've been expecting it for years Harry."

"Gee, they don't hope for much do they?"

"They knew you made me happy, and that's all they wanted. Along with your happiness, but you were so closed off we didn't know what the hell you wanted!" she added.

Harry smirked. "You want to know what I want right now?"

Gin's eyebrows rose as Harry ran his hands down her hips, his fingers circling the outside her of her thigh. "Oh yes? What's that?"

Harry smirked. "To finish our CPR lessons."

And he reached up and pulled the chain hanging from the light, throwing them into darkness.

* * *

Hermione rolled her eyes as she sat down beside her husband, finding him with his nose pressed against the window as he gazed out into the backyard. "Should I call the police?"

'Huh?"

"You're perving on them… which is rather disgusting, considering she's your sister!"

"I'm not perving." Ron muttered, giving her a quick glance. 'They've been in that shed for fifteen minutes."

'So?"

Ron tore his eyes away from the window and looked at her. "So? He could be doing anything to her."

Hermione let out a splutter. "Excuse me? Sex is not only one sided you know." She huffed. "Besides, you don't even know that's what they're doing."

"They've been in there for a quarter of an hour! What else is it they could be doing?"

Hermione quirked an eyebrow and looked out the window at the shed. It was completely still. "Fifteen minuets? Hey, if Harry can go that long… I definitely married the wrong one." She said, giving Ron a look.

"You _what_!" Ron cried.

"I'm joking you idiot! Sit down." Hermione laughed.

Ron did so and looked back out at the shed. He rested his elbow on the windowsill and put his head on the ball of his hand. "I'm glad for him." He said quietly.

"Why? Because he can go for fifteen minutes?"

"No! Because he's happy." Ron said, giving Hermione a look. "I'd, been a little worried about him. He was so absorbed in his work, didn't let anyone close to him…" he trailed off with a sigh. "I really began to think he wouldn't find that someone. He became so distant around people, you remember. Pushed practically everyone away. But Ginny doesn't give up that easy… they're good for each other."

Hermione smiled at him and wrapped an arm around him. "You big softie."

"Shh, don't tell anyone. I'm pretending to be broody and unhappy about their relationship." He whispered with a smile.

"Well in that case, you shouldn't be watching them like a hawk at the window. Come on, I'll get you some treacle tart and you can massage my feet."

"Ah, that sounds fair."

* * *

A/N – Not very long, but it didn't really need to be. My updates may be a little shifty from now on, as I am resulting to using a laptop.

Please Review!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10! Okay, we're back online with my computer! Hopefully it won't take me forever to update from now on.

* * *

Harry practically bounced off the walls with happiness as he walked down the hall towards the office. And what made it even more amusing were the looks of amazement he was getting from the other Aurors as he passed their cubicles. It didn't surprise him, he knew he had been rather grumpy the past few years, and also knew that most of the men recognized that spring in his step as a man who had finally gotten some much needed action after a long period of time.

Not that he was one to kiss and tell, of course. But by now it would be common knowledge that he had finally found the girl of his dreams. If not from the Minister himself spreading the news happily around that his daughter had finally gotten with her high-school sweetheart, it would be from the newspapers which – he had no doubt – would know everything by now.

Ah, such was the life of an international superstar.

But, he really didn't care who knew. If he had it his way, he would have screamed it from the rooftops… but, Ginny had discouraged him from doing that last night, incase he fell and broke his neck.

In no time at all, Harry had reached his destination. He sighed, adjusted his robes to make himself more presentable and knocked sharply on the door. Without waiting for a response, he pushed the door inward and stuck his head in.

"Tonks, you wanted to see me?"

She was sitting at her desk, dressed strangely enough in a very nice suit with very long black hair that hung a little over her face. She was pouring over some paperwork, but didn't even get a chance to look up before another voice in the room said:

"Honestly, why do you get everyone to call you that? You have a perfectly good first name Nymphadora."

"Yes, thank you mother! Potter, come in."

Harry entered the room and shut the door behind him, surprised to see none other than Andromeda Tonks standing to the side of the room near Tonk's bookcase, apparently looking at her collection of texts moments before he had knocked.

She smiled at him, her face very much the image of her daughter and crossed the room, her hand held out to Harry. "Good to see you again Harry!"

"Yeah, you too!" he said, still surprised to see her there. It had been quite a few years since they had last spoken. "What brings you down here?"

"Just a social visit really. Nymphadora doesn't visit as much as she should…"

"Are we done?" Tonks interrupted testily.

Harry grinned at her; getting a slight suspicion her mother's presence was a bit stressful for her for some reason. He smiled and sat down in front of her desk, lounging like he owned the place.

"So, you summoned, O' divine ruler of the universe?" he asked, examining his fingernails.

Tonks grinned. "Don't pull cheek with me Harry. You know perfectly well why you are here."

Harry blinked. "No, actually I don't."

"You don't?" Tonks repeated, standing up and walking around the desk to sit near him. "Well, let's see if I can't refresh your memory. Allowing a citizen to intervene in an Auror controlled heist, again, allowing a citizen to approach a Dragon without any protection, training or back up, supervising a transfer of said dragon while said citizen rode on its back _like a bloody pony_!" she cried, looking more fearful for Ginny's safety and Harry's sanity than angry. "Shall I go on?"

Harry laughed. "If you're talking about Ginny, which I know you are, then you would know that she is anything but under qualified to handle a dragon. If only you had seen her Dora…"

"Yes, and if I had seen her she wouldn't have done it in the first place." She said, running a hand through her hair.

"May I put my two knuts in here?" Andromeda piped up, sitting down on Tonk's abandoned seat.

"Please do." Tonk said over her shoulder.

Andromeda kicked her feet up and put them up on the table, giving Harry a smile. "Harry let his feelings get in the way. He wanted to do his job, but at the same time wanted to give Ginny a chance."

"Whose side are you on?" Harry asked.

"She's on mine Harry." Tonks said, kicking him playfully in the knee. "And I thought that by being my second that you could handle yourself emotionally in this area. But, if Ginny's messing with your head that much…"

"No, she's not!" Harry insisted. "Well…not anymore. We sorted things out."

"Ah yes." Tonks said, a sly grin crossing her features. "So I heard."

Harry groaned as Andromeda began laughing. "Who told you then?"

"The boss-man himself. He was positively walking on air at the prospect of adding another man to the family… like they need to, I say." Tonks added softly, rolling her eyes. "But, the news is out before you could even pick your nose, and no doubt Ginny will be getting hate mail by tomorrow morning about how she stole the cutest man in all England."

Harry blushed. "I know you're joking… especially about the last part."

"Um, may I once again be the bearer of bad news?" Andromeda said, producing a copy of Witch Weekly.

Harry grabbed it sharply out of her hands and felt his stomach clench at the page it had been opened to. "You've got to be kidding me."

It took up pretty much the entire page, headed by the words 'HARRY POTTER, MOST ELIDGLE BACHELOR FINDS LOVE AT LAST!' Beneath it was a massive picture of a photo he recognized being taken at Hogwarts in his sixth year of him and Ginny having a friendly hug near the lake. His arm was around her waist as was hers around his, both of them waving a smiling bashfully at the camera. In the article, phrases jumped out at him, like 'High-school friends' and 'Romantic fairytale' and even, to his amazement, 'history of Potter's and their red-heads'.

Feeling many emotions at once, he sighed and passed it back to Andromeda. "Ginny's going to go spare when she sees that."

"You know what's going to make her loose it even more?" Tonks said. "Telling her that if she interferes in official Ministry business once more, I'm going to lock her up."

"You're what?" Harry cried, looking at her in amazement. "That's a little harsh isn't it?"

"No, it isn't. This isn't one of those 'third-time lucky' things Harry. She could get herself seriously hurt! Her dad's already in a right state with all she's getting herself into, and its taking all my effort not to get him involved. Now, either you tell her the good news or I will."

"You can. I rather fancy having my head attached to my body." Harry said, folding his arms defiantly.

"Fine. Unlike you, I am not afraid of the Weasley temper." Tonks said, giving him a look.

"I should think not." Andromeda chuckled. "You're related to them after all."

"Very distantly, and through marriage." Tonks said, rubbing her eyes. "As Charlie likes to remind me."

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Charlie? What's all this then?"

Tonks opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The tension thickened in the room as she blushed, looking neither Harry nor her mother in the eye.

Finally, she sighed and stood up. "Get out of my office four eyes. And take my mother with you!" she laughed.

* * *

Ginny giggled.

Harry pulled back and frowned at her. "What?"

"Nothing." She smiled, bringing him back into the kiss.

Harry didn't complain. He shrugged and rolled over on top of her a little more, almost falling off the bed from doing so.

Ginny giggled again.

Harry sighed. "What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing! Stop pulling away you silly man, I'm trying to kiss you!"

Harry chuckled as she yanked him down again and kissed him. He loved it when she was like this…so insistent. She knew what she wanted from him and was not embarrassed to let him know about it.

Ginny giggled again.

"All right, that's it! What is so bloody funny?" Harry cried, sitting up and looking down at her.

Ginny burst out laughing, grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back down beside her, stroking his jaw. "Your face is tickling me." She sniggered, scratching his stubble.

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "I was considering a new look. What d'you reckon? A goatee?" he asked, tilting his chin upward.

Ginny smiled. "No."

"Oh, gee. Thanks for that added boost to my self image Ginny!"

"You asked!"

Harry smiled and kissed her. "I love you."

Ginny sighed and rolled onto her back. "Yeah, I know. Who wouldn't really?"

Harry laughed and tucked his arm up under his head. He could tell by her lightness and good humor that Tonks had not yet gotten ahold of her and broken the news.

"You know Harry,' Ginny said softly, looking at him cautiously all of a sudden 'as wonderful as this past month has been… we really haven't discussed our situation."

"Our situation?"

"Yeah. You know, what's going happen when I go.

"Go? Go where?"

"Well…back to Romania."

The silence was instant, intense and deafening. Harry was so stunned he couldn't even muster the state of mind to arrange his face into any type of expression. Ginny was biting her lip, counting down the seconds until the bomb inside him blew up.

Harry laughed weakly. "I'm sorry; I thought you just said…"

"Yes, you heard me." Ginny muttered.

Harry sat up and looked down at her, his mind still reeling from what he had just heard. Yes, he had heard her right. She wasn't staying in London. She wasn't staying with him.

"Huh." He said, looking down at his hands.

"What did you expect me to do Harry?" Ginny said, sitting up also. "Did you expect me to quit my job, move in with you and settle down like a good little 'housewife-in-training?' I'm not ready for that!"

Harry glared at her, the heat building up in his stomach. He could feel himself getting incredibly angry at an alarmingly fast rate. Did he have any right to?

Damn right he did!

"So what is this we're doing Ginny?" he snapped. "Just some summer pastime? A fling until you go back home? Just someone to keep you occupied until you could run back to Evan?"

"I beg your pardon?" Ginny cried, her eyes flashing. "How could you even think I would… that I'd…" she stuttered. "Harry, you're not even letting me finish what I want to say!"

"You're leaving!" he shouted. "What else is there to say?"

Ginny looked like she very much wanted to shout back at him, but she sighed, composed herself and took his arms. "Harry, just because I want to go back does not mean I don't want to be with you! We're wizards Harry, it's not like we have to hop on those barmy, flying machines muggles use to go from country to country just to see one another. I can apparate back at weekends, or you can come see me, or…" she trailed off, looking apprehensive once more.

"Or what?" Harry pressed irritably.

"Or… you could come with me."

Once again, a silence hung in the air. Harry wondered if she had been inhaling something while he had been at work all day. Surely this wasn't her usually frame of mind…

"Move back to Romania with you?" Harry repeated. "Just like that?"

"Why not?" Ginny smiled.

"Oh, so you can expect me just to drop my life just because you suggest it, but when I get a little upset about _you_ not wanting to stay _here_…"

"I didn't mean it like that!" Ginny yelled angrily. "Harry, you're one of the best Auror's the Ministry has! Any other ministry would take you without question. You'd be an asset to them."

"Why, because of this?" he demanded, jabbing a finger at his forehead.

"Of course not! Because you're bloody good at what you do." Ginny retorted angrily. "Stop feeling like a broody seventeen year old and just _listen_ to me."

"How do you expect me to react then?" he yelled, getting to his feet. "Do you realize how much it took for me to finally admit I loved you? I have never said that to anyone Ginny, and here you are telling me you want to leave! How am I supposed to take this that's to your standard?"

Ginny gaped at him, honestly having not meant to get him so angry. "Harry, I love you."

"But you love your job more." growled Harry.

Ginny frowned, stung. "That's not fair."

Harry sighed and looked away. "No, it isn't. None of this is fair. Us, being who we are with two different lives separated by half a world, isn't fair." He muttered. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You're really going to just… _leave_?"

Ginny bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes. "I don't want to, really. But I like my job Harry, just like you do with yours. I want you, I know I do. I always have. I'm happy with my life the way it is as well. Having you in it has made it so much better." She whispered.

Harry looked up at her as she crossed to him and took his face in her hands. He could tell she was fiercely holding onto her composure.

"We can work this out." She whispered.

"Do you know why you're hurts me so much?" he asked, his eyes full of emotions she had never seen in a man's eyes before. "Because you're the only one I would allow to do so in the first place."

And with that, he pulled Ginny's hands away and left her alone in the room.

* * *

"Is er, everything okay Harry?"

Harry looked up from the box he was packing and smiled hastily at Ron. "Yeah, sure! Everything's peachy. Hand me that will you?"

Ron handed Harry the book on the desk chair, still eyeing him curiously. "You sure? You seem a little… distracted."

"I said everything's fine." He said shortly.

Ron sighed and went back to packing, sensing that if he continued to push the issue Harry would withdraw even more. Whatever it was, he knew it was causing his friend to stress an awful lot, but he also knew that if Harry really wanted to talk about it, he would in his own time.

"I can't believe you're finally going." Harry said suddenly. "Why do you have to move out tomorrow? We didn't even get to have a 'moving-out' party."

Ron smiled, shrunk a whole pile of clothes and placed them in another box. "Well, we wanted to get settled in before Weasley Number three arrives from his nine-month stay at Uterusville."

Harry laughed. "So, you know it's a boy then?"

"Well, no. But there's a one in three chance." Ron joked.

Harry laughed again "Man, I sure am going to miss having you around here."

"Ah well, now you and my sister get to have the house all to yourselves." Ron smiled.

"Hmm."

Ron's grin vanished instantly as he finally understood now what it was that was bothering his best friend. _Oh bollocks, what's happened now?_ He thought.

"So, do you want to tell me what you've fought about this time, or am I going to have to hear it from Hermione?"

Harry, who had been packing Crookshanks's basket into a large box, looked up at Ron and frowned. "What?"

Ron gave him a look.

Harry sighed, straightened up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Its nothing I can't deal with, and equally nothing I'm sure you would want to hear."

"Why wouldn't I want to hear it?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe because you're moving house tomorrow, have a game the next night and are expecting a baby in two weeks." Harry said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Yes, it would be very considerate of me to offload my emotional problems off you to, wouldn't it?"

"Oh sod off, you know you can tell me." Said Ron.

Harry considered him for a moment, feeling the temptation to spill his guts to his best friend almost too good to pass up. But, no, he wouldn't do that. He wouldn't put the feelings he had on Ron at such a stressful period. That would be selfish. Besides, Harry was a grown man, and didn't need to discuss his personal issues with everyone so he could sort them out. He was quite capable of doing so himself.

So, Harry smiled and went back to helping Ron pack. "Its fine, I promise."

Ron eyed him for a minute, before sighing. "Fine. Just know the offer is always open."

"I do, and thank you."

Harry was immensely relieved that Ron dropped the subject. It was a sign of just how good friends they were. The fact that they could go on without having to exist in awkward silences and sideward glances was a truly rare thing, and Harry loved that Ron understood him so well.

Truthfully, Harry didn't want to discuss his situation with Ginny with anyone. He just couldn't believe that after everything they went through she still wanted to leave! Was it wrong of him to assume that she would stay with him? He didn't think so. She had said she wanted to be with him, didn't she? Come to think of it, she was rather the hypocrite to suggest he simply pack up and leave when she herself went of the handle from him suggesting she do the same thing.

But, in another way he did understand where she was coming from. He knew she loved her job, just as he loved his. He was not so selfish as to want her to give up what she loved doing, simply because he wanted her too. He wanted her to be happy, and Dragon Keeping made her happy.

But, he didn't want to loose her either. He didn't want settle; to see her on weekends or when they had days off… he wanted her there every morning and night. He wanted to see her at dinner, and sit with her to watch television, or have a bubble bath with her.

Surely there had to be another alternative to all this.

"So, I heard there are bets being placed on the sex of the baby."

Harry blinked and looked up at Ron. "Oh, yeah! I put dibbs on a boy myself."

"Figures." Ron laughed, shaking his head. "My wife is the subject of gambling amusement for the family… she's going to go spare."

* * *

Ginny swiped her hand over her forehead for what seemed the fiftieth time that minute, ridding her brown of the beads of sweat. The window was wide open, beckoning in the non-existent cool breeze from outside. The night was sweltering, but still inside she felt cold. Her guilt was making her numb.

She had not seen Harry all night. She had spent the entire time with Hermione, helping her gather up their stuff for their move tomorrow. It had proven a good distraction from their fight earlier that afternoon, but now lying in her bed in the middle of the night, the events came rushing back like a tidal wave.

How could it have been thrown out of proportion so quickly? What she had really wanted to say had not come out at all the way she had imagined it in her mind. She very much understood why he had become so angry. She had sounded like the biggest bitch in the world! To suggest that she didn't want anything to do with him after her two months were up… she could scarcely believe she had said it.

She rolled over and blew a few loose strands out of her face. She wanted him to understand what it was she had meant, but did not want to go to him. He would still be upset, and she wanted to give him time away from her.

God, it seemed hard to believe that only a few short hours ago she had been giggling over his stubble tickling her face.

* * *

A/N – I know that ended rather abruptly, but I'll be picking it up next chapter.

Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11. I don't know about any of you, but waiting for May 7th (if you don't know what's happening then, you should be ashamed!) is like waiting two years for something!

* * *

When Harry peered into Ginny's room through the smallest gap in the door, he saw her sitting at the desk with her back to him, a hunch in her shoulders that he recognized as sadness. Her hair was up in a bun today.

He stood up straight and closed his eyes, composing himself. He was about to walk into severe danger of loosing a limb, into a room completely unarmed and at her mercy…into the Dragon's lair.

Smiling at the irony, he found his confidence and pushed the door fully open.

Ginny spun around instantly as he entered the room, and glared at him. Harry wanted to retreat instantly, but he stood his ground. Surely she couldn't be _that_ angry with him? He hadn't done anything since last night to warrant such a look, had he?

She leapt up alarmingly fast and stormed over to him, a piece of parchment clenched in her fist.

"Did you have anything to do with this?" she demanded, shoving it in his face.

Harry blinked, wondering what on earth she was on about until he noticed the letter in Tonks' handwriting. Words like 'doing time', 'Illegal' and 'for your own safety' jumped out at him.

He sighed, suddenly understanding. "Yes."

Ginny's eyes flashed. "You _did_?" she demanded angrily.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I tried everything to change her mind, because I personally think it is very harsh of her to treat you like a twelve year old." He said matter-o-factly, giving her a smug look.

Ginny deflated instantly like a pinpricked balloon. "Oh." She said, looking a little embarrassed. "Really?"

"Yes, really."

"But… she's your superior!"

"And you're my girlfriend."

He knew by how she let her eyes drop to the floor, that the thought of him possibly defending her to Tonks had not crossed her mind. That she had been so sure he would follow order and not complain to even consider it.

"Any other questions?" asked Harry.

Ginny gave him a little glare and went to snap at him, when she noticed something hidden behind his back. "What's that?" she asked, pointing.

Harry raised his eyebrows and revealed the bunch of flowers he had been hiding. "Oh er…" he stuttered, feeling suddenly a little uncomfortable. He had never bought a woman flowers before, as it had always seemed a little cliché.

"Are those for me?" asked Ginny, peering at the flowers.

Harry rolled his eyes. "No, they're for Crookshanks. Of _course_ they're for you."

Ginny leant in, put her hand on Harry's and inhaled the scent of them. They were sweet and she wished she knew the name of them. "They're beautiful." She said, giving him a smile. "A very good peace offering."

"Peace offering?" cried Harry, trying to act insulted. "Who said anything about a _peace offering_? Cant I just buy you flowers for no good reason?"

Ginny gave him a look.

Harry sighed. "I must be terrible at this."

"You're getting there." She giggled.

"Look, fancy flowers and offerings aside… can we just talk? Please?"

Ginny nodded, reached around him and shut the door.

Harry put the flowers down on her desk and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, I've been going mad over this and I have to say… I'm sorry."

"_You're_ sorry?" asked Ginny, amazed. "What the bloody hell for?"

"For getting all mad. You were right, it was wrong of me to assume you would drop your life in Romania just to stay here with me. I know _I_ wouldn't like to just leave everything I've built here at the drop of a hat." He said, looking regretful. "But, I was just so happy that I didn't even think about you leaving or me staying or whatever…and you brought me back into reality. I was just a little shocked Ginny."

"No, don't apologize." Said Ginny, feeling utter relief wash over her. "What I wanted to say… it didn't come out that way. It sounded so wrong! God, sometimes my mouth and my brain just aren't connected." She giggled.

Harry smiled and pulled her into a hug, relieved that the distance between them had been breached. "I guess we were both idiots."

"That we were."

"But, this still doesn't change anything." Said Harry, looking down at her. "We're still back at square one."

Ginny bit her lip. "Well, not necessarily." She said. When Harry raised an eyebrow in question, she smiled. "I'm not going back to Romania. I'm staying here."

Harry's eyes widened. "_What_?"

"I'm staying here… you know, if that's alright with you."

Harry spluttered and laughed. "Of course it's alright! But Ginny… what about your job? What about your friends and your life and…"

"I put in a transfer last night." Said Ginny, putting a hand over his mouth to stop his rambling. "I'm moving to that camp where we took Norbert. It's smaller, but I don't mind it actually. As for my friends, they're already here! I have my friends from school, I have my family… and I have you."

Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Ginny, this is… I can't…"

"Harry, you have always been in my life." She said, cutting him off again. "How could I go back now, after everything that's happened? I left that opportunity open once, and I don't intend to do it again. My life is with you Harry Potter, and don't expect to get rid of me so easily."

He didn't think he'd ever been as happy as he was now. Ginny was smiling up at him with such reassurance and trust that was proof that everything was going to be alright.

"Ginny, are you sure about this?" he asked, looking her directly in the eye. "I don't want you to feel like you have to do this."

"Nah." She laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "I couldn't stand apparating overseas every day just to come and see you. And while I do warn you that you are no doubt going to receive a howler from Charlie in the near future for taking away not only his little sister, but the best Dragon handler in his camp, I want you to know that I am happy with this decision."

Harry laughed, wrapped his arms around her and lifted her off the floor in a tight hug. "This is wonderful Ginny!"

Ginny laughed and wrapped her arms around him. "You sure you can handle living with me? I snore, I leave towels all over the bathroom floor, not to mention I'll blunt your razor shaving my legs."

Harry smirked and kissed her. "Hmm. But there are other advantages to you being around." He said, giving her butt a little squeeze.

"Oooh." She giggled, kissing him again. "Is that all I am to you? Just some sex toy?"

"Got it in one."

"Really? I think I may be a little offended!"

Harry lay her down on the bed and began sucking on her neck. "You'll get over it."

* * *

Harry sighed and rubbed his eyes, feeling more ridiculous now than he did when he wore his dress robes at the Yule ball back in his fourth year. He had generally avoided doing this to every extent, but once again, Ginny had pulled her persuasive techniques and he had caved.

Of course, one doesn't really think about that when the bass is thumping through their body.

Yes, Ginny had finally managed to drag someone along to a nightclub. She had tried Ron, Hermione, Fred and George, Bill, Neville Longbottom… and finally gotten around to Harry.

He smiled at her across the small table. She had her hair up again in that twist behind her head and was wearing a rather revealing outfit (perhaps too revealing for his liking. Already he had seen her been watched by several close, intoxicated males). She was clutching her drink in her hand and bobbing her head along to the music, enjoying the thump of the bass.

"Having fun?" called Harry over the music.

She looked at him and smiled. "I am! Thank you for letting me drag you here."

"Anytime sweetheart."

She laughed, perhaps a little more than called for, and went back to admiring the lights. Harry wondered how it was, being what she was, that she seemed to have such a fondness for the atmosphere of a muggle night club. He certainly had never taken her to any, and didn't recall anyone else ever taking her. Perhaps she was simply one for loud noise and muggle instruments… like most of her family.

But, he knew she also had a weak spot for dancing. Like at Ron and Hermione's wedding, she had been relentless and danced with him for a good two hours! As of yet, she had not harped on him dancing with her. But, he knew it wouldn't stay like that for long.

"Too bad Ron and Hermione couldn't come." She said suddenly, tapping her foot against his under the table. "It's always fun with them."

"Yeah, but if they were here then I couldn't do this."

And he quickly leant across the table and gave her a very short, yet passionate kiss that, when he pulled back, left her looking a little surprised. She giggled and rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, you can't kiss me like that in front of your two best friends? Who _can_ you kiss me in front of then?"

Harry blushed and smiled, trying to hide is bashfulness. "Well, why do I need to snog you in front of anyone really." He said a little defensively. "I don't want people gawking at me in such a private moment."

Ginny giggled. "You'd definitely have to be the last of your kind Harry, mark my words." She said, taking another sip of her drink.

Harry smiled and looked back out at the crowd. So many people dancing… God, didn't they _ever_ get tired? How could they do it for so long? Didn't their feet hurt? Didn't their bladders cry in protest, screaming for relief of all the alcohol they carried?

"Well what do you know? Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter!" came a new voice from behind him.

Ginny let out a scream and had leapt up from her seat before Harry could even turn around to see who it was who had spoken. He only saw her throw herself at a rather tall man, her hair blocking his face from view.

"Bloody _hell_! What are the odds of you being here?" she cried, kissing him on the cheek.

Harry felt his blood boil somewhat, but the moment she released the unfamiliar man he felt his jealousy melt away to be replaced with amazement as he looked up into the face of none other than Colin Creevy.

"Colin! Blimey, what _are_ the odds?" laughed Harry, getting up and shaking Colin's hand.

It was a bit of a trip to have to look up at the eldest Creevy brother. Indeed, he looked to be the same height as Ron. His brown hair was now shaved rather short in a buzz cut, but other than that he looked no different since the last time Harry had seen him… Ginny's graduation party.

"Good to see you Harry. Ginny, I thought you were in Romania with Charlie!"

"I was, but I'm moving back." She said, giving Harry a smile.

"That's wonderful! I rather prefer seeing you as apposed to correspondence by letters. I get cramps in my hands from replying to the novels you send me." Chuckled Colin, shaking his hand as if he in fact did have a cramp.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Are you here alone?"

"Oh, er – actually…"

But his question was soon answered as a woman with long blonde hair and big, blue eyes arrived at his side, carrying a drink in either hand. She smiled as Ginny and Harry, as if it were perfectly a normal setting for Luna Lovegood to show up on the arm of Colin Creevy.

"Hello Ginny, Harry. Wonderful to see you again." She said happily, handing Colin his drink.

Ginny let out a laugh. "Okay, explain to me how the two of you happened."

And they did. Harry pulled up two more chairs at their table for Colin and Luna and they then went into an explanation of how they had met. Colin apparently had been taking photos for the _Prophet_ at one of those conventions all the papers and magazines seemed to host every year, and Luna had been there on behalf of her father for _The Quibbler_.

"I do hope you weren't responsible for that article in the _Prophet_ about Ginny and I." said Harry, giving Colin a look.

"Me? No way! I just take the photos." Laughed Colin, holding up his hands defensively. "I was glad to hear about the two of you though… it's about bloody time if you ask me."

"Well we _didn't _ask you." Snapped Ginny playfully, a twinkle in her eye.

The song changed suddenly and it was like a ripple passed between Luna and Ginny. Obviously both of them knew it, and found it equally enjoyable.

Luna sighed, threw back the last of her martini and grabbed Colin's hand. "Come dance with me Colin, I have calories to rid myself of."

"But, I…" but that was as far as Colin got, for Luna simply dragged him out of his seat and off to dance.

Harry laughed, but stopped immediately as he saw Ginny looking at him. "Oh no, no Ginny!" he groaned, sensing what was coming.

"Oh come on! We have not danced together in years!"

"Not long enough to start up again."

Ginny let out a grunt of annoyance, stood up and took his hand. "Get off your arse Harry, we're dancing."

And just like Colin, he was heaved form his seat and led like a reluctantly donkey into the middle of the dance floor, forced to stand in very close proximity to Ginny from the sheer amount of bodies around them.

Harry stood stock still as Ginny instantly began moving, her lips curled up into a seductive smile. The music was much louder, and Harry didn't know what to do with his hands. He felt rather stupid, not knowing what to do.

As if sensing his thoughts, she took pity on him, grabbed his wrists and placed them on her swinging hips.

"Move with me!" she called over the music, but even then he could barely hear her.

He nodded and tried mimicking her movements. He felt a little weird, trying to dance like a girl. But, he supposed it was better than just standing there. He kept glancing around at others, trying to gauge the best way in which to do this. Why couldn't there be books on this that Hermione could read and then lecture him on later?

Ginny smiled, turned his head back to face her and gave him a reassuring smile. She did a fancy twirl and pressed her back against his chest, taking his hands and resting them on her stomach. Harry, feeling a little more comfortable, began to move with her as she had told him.

Finally, he started to relax. No-one else around them cared what he was doing. No-one else was even there! He had Ginny in his arms, the steady beat of the music matching his heartbeat as he moved with her. He became a little bolder, moving a little more.

So this is what the big deal about dancing was? Crikey, why was he always catching onto things so late?

Harry found himself quite content just to move with her, not wanting to show off. Who did he need to impress anyway? Ginny turned around and linked her hands behind his neck as the music slowed. She smiled up at him with that expression that made him easy.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed his shoulder, making him jump. The person whirled him around, and Harry was expecting to laugh, finding Colin begging him to take him back to the table. But the person who had turned him around was not Colin.

It was Ron.

"Harry!" cried Ron over the music.

Harry frowned. He could barely hear, and only knew it was his name because he was lip-reading. Ron looked terrible. His hair was sticking up as if he had run his hands though it repeatedly, and he looked very pale and slightly panicky.

"What's wrong?" shouted Harry, feeling Ginny move around behind him.

Ron swallowed, took a few deep breaths and grabbed Harry's shirt, looking rather desperate. He shouted something and Harry frowned, unable to hear properly.

"Herman's your new neighbour?" he called. That made no sense at all.

Ron rolled his eyes, grabbed Harry's head and pulled him towards Ron's mouth so to hear him better. He shouted again, and although it was still feint, Harry understood perfectly.

"_Hermione's gone into labor_!"

Harry's eyes widened to their fullest extent. He gaped at Ron, now understanding his best friend's hysteria. "She's _what_?" he called.

Ron nodded frantically and jabbed his thumb towards the exit, his meaning clear. Harry nodded fiercely, turned to Ginny and shouted the news. She too looked at him stunned and a moment later the three of them fought their way through the crowd, straight for a safe place to apparate.

* * *

"How could she have gone into labor?" panted Ginny, having to run in order to keep up with Ron's long strides as they hurried down the hallways of the hospital. "She's not due for another two weeks!"

"You think _I_ know what's going on? The bloody doctors don't speak any god-damn English!"

"Is she all right? I mean, there's nothing wrong… for the baby to be coming this early I mean…" asked Harry, feeling very concerned.

Ron didn't respond. He seemed to have become incapable of forming any words that meant anything. So, he simply led them up the hallway until they reached the end ward. No-one was there yet. Ron must have come to them first.

He threw the doors open and Harry paused in the doorway, being shoved aside by Ginny. Hermione was lying on the bed surrounded by mid-witches, looking very exhausted and sweating madly. She had an expression of discomfort etched onto her face and was chewing on something, apparently just on at the end of a contraction.

"Hermione!" cried Ginny, rushing straight to her beside. "Merlin, how are you doing?"

Hermione let out a laugh and smiled at Ginny. "I'll live. It doesn't exactly tickle, but…" she trailed off, trying to catch her breath.

Harry moved into the room finally and stood at Ginny's shoulder looking down at Hermione as if he barely knew her. Up until now, the fact that she was having a baby had always been a little bit of a novelty. But now he could see that she was really doing this. That she was no longer that little, bushy haired girl obsessed with books that he used to know. She was a grown woman, and was about to become a _mother_.

Ginny, stroking Hermione's arm looked up at Harry and smiled at the evident pride beaming through his face. It was second only to Ron, and she wondered in that moment if Hermione knew how lucky she really was to have such men at her side.

"Ow!" cried Hermione suddenly. As she seemed to feel another wave of pain, a ripple of magic seemed to exhume from her like a shockwave, making everyone shiver from it.

"What was that?" asked Harry, bewildered.

"It happens all the time." Explained the nearest nurse, checking Hermione's pulse. "Expectant mothers get very emotional and can hardly control their magic. And when you add the raw magic of the infant into the mix…" she trailed off, feeling she didn't need to continue.

"Jeepers.' Said Ginny, looking horrified. "Imagine how mum went with all of us! It's a wonder the building's still standing."

"So, how did this happen then?" asked Harry, ruffling his hair.

"Well, Harry,' said Ron patronizingly 'when a man and a woman love each other very much…"

"I know that part you pillock! I meant how long has she been in labor!"

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here." Snapped Hermione, giving Ron a glare.

"Only about two hours. She wouldn't listen to me.' Ron said, jerking a thumb at Hermione. "I told her to sit down – we were wallpapering the nursery – but no! Little miss 'I can do it myself' had to get up on that stepladder and stretch…' he trailed off, looking panicky once more.

"Wallpapering in your condition?" asked Ginny, looking at Hermione in amazement. "Are you daft? You're ready to pop!"

"I am perfectly capable of doing simple spells Ginny!" snapped Hermione, her face contorting in pain again. "And then he buggered off!" she added, pointing at Ron. 'Left me here all by myself for forty five minutes!"

"I had to find these two! They weren't at the house and it took me forever to work out where they had gone!" Ron retorted, taking up station on the other side of her bed. He gave her some more ice, took her hand and smiled at Ginny. "You'll have to excuse her if she snaps at you. She's a little moody."

"You try pushing a watermelon through your peehole and see if you can still crack a smile!" Hermione screeched, giving Ron's hand a very hard squeeze.

Ron's face contorted in a very comic, painful way. "Argh, okay!"

"Hermione, just breathe." Said Harry, ignoring Ron's whimpering. He leant over and whipped sweat away from Hermione's brow. "You'll be okay."

"Yes, I know." She sighed, taking in a few deep breaths. "I'm just… really nervous. I mean, I read that book '_What to expect when you're expecting_' and it was fabulous, but I didn't think I would be this scared."

Harry leant over and kissed her on the forehead. "You'll be okay. You've studied it after all… how bad can it be?"

Hermione smiled up at Harry, looking thoroughly unconvinced. "Men." She growled.

Ginny giggled. "Bastards, all of them."

"I beg your pardon?" cried Ron indignantly. "What's this got to do with me?"

"You!" Hermione yelled angrily, gripping Ron's hand once more. Ron yelped in pain as Hermione began having another contraction. "You did this to me you horny bastard. Don't for one minute think you're not going to feel every ounce of this as much as I am!"

Ron was going red in the face he was trying so hard not to yell out loud. Hermione was glaring daggers at him, and it was taking everything Harry and Ginny had not to laugh.

"Cant you just… _let go_?" he wheezed.

"No! You're going to feel every moment of this. Then maybe you'll learn to keep your dick out of my vagina and in your pants where it belongs! God, I can't even stand the _sight_ of you!" she screamed.

"Okay, everyone out!" one of the nurses said briskly, ushering them all towards the door. "We can not have Mrs. Weasley with all this stress. Out!"

Harry and Ginny got up to leave, as did Ron.

"No, wait! Where are you going?" cried Hermione, suddenly sounding quite needy. "Ron, don't leave me here." She said, nearly in tears.

Ron looked utterly bewildered. "But, you just said…"

"I didn't mean it." Said Hermione, holding her hand out for him. "Stay, I need you."

"But I have to owl everyone!"

"We'll do it." Said Ginny, giving Ron a reassuring smile. "We'll wait outside."

"Thank you for coming!" cried Hermione as Harry and Ginny left the room.

Harry shut the door behind them and they looked act each other for a moment. Ginny snorted and ran a hand through her hair. "Blimey."

"That's an understatement. Poor Ron." Chuckled Harry.

"I know!" giggled Ginny. "Come on, let's go inform the troops."

* * *

A/N – I'm not all together very good at writing pregnancy scenes. I'll do my best though!

Please review!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12. Here we go!

* * *

"Okay, I've got ten Galleons from Dad that it's a boy, and five sickles from – Percy, _five sickles_? You cheap skate! Anyway, Harry's got fifteen Galleons on a boy too… crikey, not much hope for a girl is there?"

"Fred!"

"Yes mother?"

"Are youholding a sweep on the sex of the baby?"

"Aye Mother, I am. What's your bid?"

"My _bid_! I can't believe… your own brother… never did I think…"

"I'll put ten pounds on a girl. How much is that in your money?"

"Well, I think it comes to about…"

"Fred, shut up! Elizabeth, that's your _daughter _in there!"

"Yes, so I get top priority. What do you put for Ron's capabilities Molly? Twenty pounds?"

Harry smiled to himself. He didn't even have to look up to know that Mrs. Wealsey was spluttering in indignation over their gambling. It, in fact, surprised him that she had not yet – until now – found out about the little scheme the twins had been setting up.

Hermione had been in there for two hours now, and it was well past one in the morning. Harry was rather tired and rubbed his eyes under his glasses, hoping for a pepper-up potion to be slipped into his coffee.

Ginny sat down beside him and rubbed his back, handing him a drink. "Here, you look beat."

"I can only imagine what Ron's feeling." He said, giving the door a glance. They had heard nothing in an hour. The room had obviously been sound-proofed, as they had not heard Hermione screaming in pain… or Ron.

Ginny smiled at him. "It's cute that you worry so much."

"She's like my bloody sister, tell me I wouldn't." he said, taking a sip of his drink.

Ginny stroked his hair and looked up. Her entire family, save for Charlie, was present. Mr. and Mrs. Granger would looked at the door ever few minutes very apprehensively at the door, quite obviously wanting to be in there as well. Her own mother looked as stricken as Mrs. Granger, and could be seen wringing her hands nervously when she was not slapping Fred and George for making some vulgar comment about Hermione's condition and how she had gotten that was in the first place. Her father and Bill were talking with Percy and Mr. Granger, apparently discussing the sex of the baby.

"I hope nothing's wrong." Said Harry suddenly, his head drooping. "Is it normal for her to be premature? I mean, surely nothing's wrong…"

"I'm sure everything's fine." Said Ginny soothingly. "We would know if something was wrong."

"Yeah." Said Harry, looking at the wooden door again. "Yeah, we would."

* * *

(HOUR THREE)

"Still nothing?"

Ginny looked up and smiled to see her father standing over her, holding out a cup of coffee. "Nope. Not a peep."

Mr. Weasley smiled. "Is he okay?" he asked, pointing.

Ginny looked down into her lap where Harry's sleeping head lay. His face was free from his glasses, which she held in her other hand. "Yeah. He's just worried is all."

"Hmm, makes you wonder what he'll be like when _you_ finally have little bubs." Mr. Weasley said slyly.

"Dad, I think you need to lie down as well – you're hallucinating again."

* * *

(HOUR FOUR)

Ginny pressed her ear against the door a little harder, trying desperately to hear something, anything…

"I'm bored." Announced George suddenly.

WHACK.

"_OW_! Mum!"

"Tactless, talking about Hermione like that with your mother present." Mrs. Weasley laughed, sitting down his wife who had just his George over the back of his head with her handbag.

"If I go into labor, and I hear you say something like that you'll be _begging_ for mum to hit you like that." Growled Ginny in Hermione's defense.

"Well then, let's hope you don't go into labor anytime soon and freak Harry out." Chuckled Fred, giving Harry a smile.

Harry blushed deeply and sunk even further into his seat.

"Hey, did I miss the party?" shouted a new voice.

Everyone looked around to see – to their utter amazement – Charlie Weasley skidding around the corner, his leather trenchcoat billowing out behind him as he jogged up the hall where the party was. He looked very harassed and weather-beaten, but happy all the same.

"Charlie!" cried Mr. Weasley in surprise. "What on earth are you doing here?"

"Oh now really, did you think I was going to miss the birth of my little Ronnie's first child?" he chortled, greeting everyone in turn. "You must not think very highly of my standards concerning family matters."

"Oh Charlie, is good to see you sweetheart." Smiled Mrs. Weasley, shoving Percy who had been shaking his brother's hand aside rather sharply so she could hug her second eldest. Bill caught him as he stumbled and laughed, fixing Percy's glasses.

"Yeah, you too mum."

Ginny, who still hadn't moved from the door, smiled but did not greet Charlie like the others. She was far too busy, trying to gauge any type of response from the room on the other side of the door.

"No no no, that's not the way you do it!" cried Fred, pulling Ginny away from the door. "How quickly we forget."

Ginny frowned as he reached into his pocket and drew something out. She gasped in horror and looked around to see if anyone was watching, but luckily everyone's attention was still on Charlie.

"Extendible Ears?" She hissed, giving him a slap in the arm "You brought _Extendible Ears_ to Hermione's _delivery_?"

"I figured we could find out some hidden, behind-the-scenes hospital gossip while we were here. And ow, _crikey_ Ginny…" he added, rubbing his arm.

"Fred…"

"It's only a quick listen. We should be able to get something."

Ginny sighed in defeat as Fred stuck one end of the fleshy coloured apparatus into his ear, letting the other end drop to the floor. It slithered under the door and for a moment, from the expression on his face she thought it hadn't worked.

But suddenly…

"_AHHH! SWEET MOTHER OF MERLIN_!" Fred screamed, ripping the listening device out and covering his hears, looking very much in pain.

Everyone had gone silent, completely bewildered as to the reason for Fred's sudden outburst. Ginny had her knuckle in her mouth, trying to muffle her laughter as Fred was almost bent over double, his hands still clapped over his ears and whimpering in pain.

"Fred, what happened?" asked Mr. Granger, looking rather concerned.

Ginny snorted and rubbed Fred's back. "So? What's the verdict?"

"_What_?" Fred yelled. "You'll have to speak up, my ears are ringing. Gah, bloody hell, my eardrums have burst…" he muttered, rubbing his ears.

* * *

(HOUR FIVE)

Harry began to wonder if someone had stopped all the clocks in hospital, they were going that slow. Everyone was now becoming very restless, but none as much as Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Mrs. Granger had now taken up the position Ginny had been in, her ear pressed against the door apparently itching to get in there and be with her daughter. Fred had been taken to the next floor to get his ears checked out, but mostly everyone was pacing along the corridor.

Harry, not being able to take it anymore, pulled himself away and decided to talk to Charlie. He was standing near the window; a pensive expression on his face Ginny had told him was his worrying face.

"Hey." Said Harry, clapping him on the back.

Charlie jumped a little and looked at Harry. "Oh, you."

Harry blinked, surprised at his cold tone. "Um, sorry?"

Charlie inflated a little, making him look very intimidating. "Look, the others may be all happy that you've taken Ginny away, but I'm still rather enjoying my opportunity to brood over it. So, if you don't mind…"

And he turned back to the window.

Harry was very confused. He had always gotten on very well with Charlie in the past, and was rather under the impression that he would be happy for them.

"Charlie, have I done something to upset you?"

Charlie sighed and rubbed his face. "No Harry, you haven't. I'm sorry. I just apparated overseas in a matter of minutes, my baby brother's about to become a father and Ginny's decided she wants to leave me to be with you. I'm a little cranky."

"Do you have something you'd like to say to me?" asked Harry, feeling suddenly quite irritated.

Charlie opened his mouth to say something, but what he was to say Harry didn't get to find out. For in that moment, there was a feminine yelp of surprise, followed by a lot of crying and screaming.

Everyone looked around to see that Mrs. Granger had leapt away from the door in surprise, because it had opened and Ron had stuck his head out. He looked terrible, and the sounds of Hermione's obvious effort were echoing out of the room and down the halls.

"_Ron_!" cried Harry, rushing forward.

"Hey." He smiled.

Everyone gathered around hurriedly, looking expectant. They all started talking at once, but Ron shut them up with a wave of his hand.

"Look, I er…" he stuttered. He seemed to want to tell them something very important, but also seemed unable to form the words. "I wanted to tell you quickly that…"

"RON!" Screamed Hermione over his shoulder.

He winced, smiled at them apologetically and disappeared again, shutting the door and instantly blocking out the noise, draping them in silence once more.

Mrs. Granger burst into tears and flung her arms around her husband. "Oh Jake, my baby…"

"Shh, it's alright." Mr. Granger soothed, patting her back but looking worriedly at the door. "She's got Ron, she'll be fine."

"He looked dreadful!" said Mrs. Weasley, accepting a hand from Bill. "The poor dears…"

"What did he want to tell us then?" thought Bill out loud. "I hope everything was all right."

"'Course it was." Said Harry reassuringly, walking to the door and putting a hand on it. "We'd know if it wasn't. They'd tell us."

"How long have they been in there now?"

"Just over five hours."

"Blimey, this baby business takes a while, doesn't it? Hermione's going to be right zonked after all this."

"This is only the beginning. There's nightly feedings, naps…"

Harry tuned out their conversation and rested his forehead against the cool wooden door. He wanted to be in there with them, and not for the first time in his life had to push away the feeling of jealousy. Harry cared very much for Hermione, and sometimes it just didn't seem fair that he and Ron could no longer be in equal share of her like they used to. He had been present for such historical events in her life, but this was one he couldn't witness.

Suddenly, a hand slipped onto his shoulder followed by a kiss on the base of his neck. "Hey, are you okay?"

Harry exhaled slowly as Ginny wrapped her arms around him. He smiled at her over his shoulder and linked his fingers through hers. It didn't matter that he couldn't see Hermione give birth to Ron's baby… because he knew he was going to see Ginny give birth to his.

"Yeah. Perfectly fine."

* * *

(HOUR SIX)

"Okay, out of Catherine Zeta Jones and Julia Roberts."

"Catherine, definitely. Fred, that's too easy."

"You think so Bill?"

"Do Harry."

Harry cringed, not wanting to be a part of this conversation the Weasley's had been having. They had been coming up with some of the most repulsing mixtures, making him almost gag at one point.

"Okay Harry,' challenged George, eyeing him like a hawk. "Loony Lovegood and Pansy Parkinson."

Harry laughed. "Luna, although I'd have to get Colin out of the way first."

"Yeah, I agree with him." Fred said, jerking a thumb at Harry. "Okay, I got one…McGonagall and Sprout."

Everyone let out a groan of disgust, shaking their heads of the horrendous image. Harry rubbed his eyes, hoping that image wouldn't be burned into his head forever.

"Are you _serious_?" he groaned.

"Yeah, go on!" urged Bill. "I'd pick McGonagall personally.

"Bill!" laughed Fred. "Anyway Harry, come on."

"I'd go with Minne too." Agreed Harry, giving Bill a smile. "I've seen pictures of her when she was younger… and blimey."

"Okay, Harry I've got another." Said Fred.

In that moment, Ginny came over with Charlie and sat down in Harry's lap. "What are you four doing?"

Harry looked at Charlie for a moment, noting that he was determined not to look back. He sighed and wrapped his arms around Ginny as Bill explained the game they were playing.

"Ew! What kind of game is this?" she asked, clearly appalled.

"A funny one! Besides, we've been here for hours andthere's only so much you can do in a hospital.Now Harry, choose out of…"

Everyone held their breaths as George paused for dramatic effect, before saying:

"Snape and Umbridge."

The uproar was instant, mostly from Harry. "Are you insane? What kind of bloody options _are_ these?" he cried.

"Luckily we're in a hospital George; I think I may throw up." Coughed Fred.

"Wait, who's this Umbridge woman?" asked Charlie, looking as confused a Bill. "Is that the hag who took you guys off the team for pummeling the snot out of that little wart Malfoy?"

"Oh yeah, that's her." Said Fred, actually looking a little green.

"Her and _Snape_? Little brother you _are_ disturbed." Said Bill, beaming at George.

"Yes, yes… just pick will you?" bristled George impatiently, looking at Harry expectantly.

Harry sighed; wishing the floor would swallow him up. How could there even be a better option out of those two?

"I cant pick any of them! Add Ginny into that, I'll pick her."

"Excuse me? I do not just want to be a third option out of two disgusting, old individuals." Cried Ginny indignantly.

"Ah, he's just a wuss." Came a new voice near the door. "He knows he wants to pick Snape."

They whirled around to see Ron with his head sticking out of the door once again, a smile on his face. Harry leapt so fast he nearly sent Ginny flying into the wall. Everyone else gathered around Ron in a semi circle.

"Out of the way!" shrieked Mrs. Granger, shoving Bill and Harry out of the way. "Ron, what's happening?" she asked, looking over his shoulder into the room. There were no sounds coming out now.

Ron's smile widened. "Just wanted you to meet the new addition." He said, pushing the door open.

Everyone let out an 'Aw' as Ron stepped out into the corridor, a bundle held securely in his arms. It was still and very small, and all that could be seen in between the folds of the pink blanket was a tuft of flaming red hair.

"Meet my little girl." Said Ron, choking on inward sobs.

Harry leant forward and smiled down at the baby. She was fast asleep, her entire hand griping the tip of Ron's thumb. Harry didn't think he had even seen anything to beautiful in his entire life.

"How's Hermione?" asked Mr. Weasley, holding his wife back desperately.

"She's exhausted.' Sighed Ron, clearly in the same state. "She wants to see you… I think you'll find she has another surprise for you." He added to the Grangers with a smile.

Hermione's parents exchanged a look, before giving Ron last smile and rushing into the room.

"What's her name?" asked Bill, stroking her hair very softly.

"Gypsy Eliza. We came up with that last night while doing the washing up… good timing eh?" laughed Ron, swaying a little. He turned to Harry and smiled. "You want to hold her?"

Harry blinked in shock. "M-me? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go on." Urged Ron, moving over to him.

"Oh er…" stuttered Harry as Ron handed him the baby. He felt very clumsy all of a sudden, trying to hold her properly. His hands felt far too large and too dirty to hold such a thing.

"Is she okay?" asked Ginny.

Harry looked up, wondering what she was talking about when he saw Mr. Granger come out of the room, looking at Ron with wide eyes and apparently totally unaware of Ginny's question.

"Oh dear, what's wrong?" cried Mrs. Weasley, not able to take it anymore. "She hasn't had a problem has she?"

Mr. Granger simply continued to look at Ron for a moment, before bursting into laughter. Ron was sniggering to himself as well.

"Okay, what are we missing here?" demanded Percy. "What's going on?"

But there question was soon answered as Mrs. Granger came out of the room… holding another bundle in her arms.

Everyone's mouths dropped open, realization hitting them like a mad bludger. Harry gaped at Mrs. Granger, and then looked back at Ron.

"Twins?" breathed Mrs. Weasley. "You… had _twins_?"

"Ha! How's that for Karma then eh?" laughed Fred, looking very satisfied with himself.

Ron crossed to his mother-in-law and pealed back the blue blankets, revealing another tuft of red hair. "Everyone, meet Daniel James Weasley. He's the youngest by one minutes and seventeen seconds."

"Ron! Why didn't you tell us you were having twins?" demanded Ginny.

"It was Hermione's idea!" said Ron, cowering under his mother's stare. "She said she wanted to surprise everyone… she wondered why none of you had cottoned on earlier. After all, she was rather large."

"Is she asleep? I want to go in and slap her for not telling me." Cried Ginny, glaring at the door. "God, even after I _suggested_ it… did you know?" she demanded, whirling on Harry.

He snorted and looked back down at the baby in his arms. "Nope. And I choose not to be offended, because it _is _a good surprise. Ron, you sly dog you." He chuckled, giving Ron a smile.

"Listen um, she's not asleep… but she would like to see you both." Said Ron, looking at Harry and Ginny. The uproar was instant, but they remembered themselves as Daniel gave a squeak. "Please, I know you all want to see her and you'll get your chance. She just wants to see them quickly.

Ron took Daniel out of Mrs. Granger's arms and held the door open for Harry and Ginny. They moved into the room, and Harry felt his heart thump at what he saw.

Hermione was lying on the bed, her bangs damp and sticking to her sweaty forehead. She was still breathing a little heavily, apparently still calming down somewhat. Her eyes were shut and she appeared to be dozing off, but there was this glow about her that if he had a million years, Harry would still not have been able to describe.

"Mione?" said Ron, carrying Daniel back over to her.

Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled up at her two best friends. "Hey there. I see you've met Gypsy."

"Oh, she's _beautiful _Hermione!" sobbed Ginny, rushing to her side. She was crying.

"I know." Laughed Hermione weakly. She sounded weak, like she had done a ten mile run, and rather looked it too. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you about the two of them. Are you mad?"

Ginny's eyes flashed, but she smiled and took Hermione's hand. "No, of course not."

"I tell you, now I understand why your feet hurt so much." Said Harry, sitting down on the end of the bed with Gypsy. "Carrying two of these around must have been murder."

Hermione laughed and held her arms out for her daughter. "Finally, you understand what its like for me! Well, better late than never I suppose."

Harry handed Gypsy over and beamed at Hermione as she cradled her daughter as if there was no better possession in the entire world. He looked at Ron and saw the unprecedented pride in his face.

"So, how'd she do?" asked Harry, giving Hermione a smirk.

"Same as always." Said Ron.

"Ah, so with a smashing, flawless effort then."

"Honestly, how many ways are there to give birth? It's not like there's an instruction manual on the actually process and all." She bristled, sharing an eye roll with Ginny.

Ron and Harry sniggered. Even during the aftermath of labor, she still couldn't help lecturing them.

"Are you feeling okay?" asked Ginny.

Hermione sighed and hugged her daughter a little tighter. "I'm exhauted actually. You know that feeling you get when you've been heavily consiptated and have finally passed the turd out? Yeah, its kind of like that."

"_Hermione_!" cried Harry, astounded. "Alright, I'd like to take this moment to note that in the first few moments of their lives, Hermione compared her children to piles of poo."

"That's nothing." muttered Ron. "You should have heard the names she was calling me. I dont know where she got it from!"

"She was giving birth! Give the girl a break eh?" defended Ginny.

"Listen, I'm really tired…" said Hermione.

"Huh, no surprises there." Smiled Ginny.

"Yes yes, alright. But, before I feed these two I – well, we – wanted to ask you both something."

Harry nodded and Ron sighed, ruffling his hair. "Well, we were wondering if Ginny, you would be Gypsy's godmother."

Ginny's eyes widened. "Me?" she laughed. "Of course I would! Bloody hell, it would be an honor."

"Don't swear in front of the baby." Whispered Hermione.

"Oh, sorry."

"And Harry, would you mind being Daniel's godfather?"

Harry smiled and shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling a lot more excited than he was acting. "Like you had to ask."

Ron sighed, looking very relieved. "Oh, good. Well, that was easy."

"I know it sounds a little strange, but we didn't just want one child to have both of you and have another with someone we didn't want as much." Said Hermione stroking Gypsy's hair.

Harry got up, walked around and gave Hermione a firm, lingering kiss on the forehead. "Well done Hermione."

She smiled up at him, tears in her eyes. "Thank you."

"Come on, lets give them some time." Said Ginny, putting a hand on Harry's arm.

Harry nodded, gave Hermione's cheek a stroke and stepped away from the bed. He went to Ron and sighed. "Well, this is probably the part where I'm meant to give you a back-slapping, manly hug and congratulate you on a job well done."

"Yeah, most likely."

"But, seen as you've got the tike in your arms I think I'll just clap you on the shoulder, go out there and get ridiculously drunk with the others." Smiled Harry, giving Ron a slap in the arm.

Ron smiled, a silent understanding passing between them. Harry knew that while Ron was acting in control, deep down he was probably more lost that Dudely in a health food store.

"Oh, don't get too drunk!" said Hermione, looking worried..

Harry exchanged a look with Ron, before shaking his head and walking out of the room with Ginny.

"Harry! Get over here old boy!"

Harry cried out in surprise as Mr. Weasley threw his arm around his shoulders and dragged him over to a small huddle including Bill, Mr. Granger and Percy. Each of them had cigars in their mouths and was puffing on them happily.

"Here you go, have some of that." Said Mr. Weasley happily, jamming a cigar into Harry's mouth.

Harry spat it out and looked at in horror. "Mr. Weasley, this is a _hospital_. And I don't smoke… like all of you!"

Bill laughed, blowing a green smoke ring into Harry's face. "They're not real Harry. One of Fred and George's fake candy cigars. You don't even have to light them… just start inhaling."

Harry quirked an eyebrow in suspicion, but nothing prepared him for seeing Ginny out of the corner of his eye, puffing on a cigar happily and chatting away to her mother. So, taking this as a shred of security, he stuck it back in his mouth and sucked in a little. Instantly, the taste of raspberry ice-cream filled his mouth.

"See? Good stuff." Beamed Bill, clapping Harry on the back. "Ah, what a good day. Two new Weasley's for the history books."

Harry smiled and looked back over at Ginny. He caught her eye and she smiled back at him, wriggling her eyebrows while puffing on her cigar. He winked at her and turned back to Bill.

"Yes, quite a good day."

* * *

A/N – Were you expecting twins? You so weren't!

Please review!


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13! Yes, this is the real chapter 13! I'm sorry about the mix up; I was obviously having a retarded moment.

* * *

"You know, never in my entire history in working with fifty tonne Dragons did I think that the best upper arm workout would be handling these babies! And you carried two at the same time for _nine months_?"

Hermione smiled and placed Daniel down on the change table as Ginny walked around her, rocking Gypsy. "I am woman, hear me roar."

"I'm serious! Honestly, they weight a pound!"

"7 lbs, 6 ounces to be exact. Well, she did anyway." Said Hermione, taking Daniel's nappy off, getting her wand out and clearing it with a simple spell. "All together, pregnancy wasn't that bad of an experience… although I am over the moon to be able to see my feet again!"

Ginny laughed and did a little twirl with Gypsy. "I would imagine so. Change."

Hermione dressed Daniel in his blue jumpsuit and swapped him over for Gypsy, letting Ginny rock him slowly.

"So, where's Mr. Dad today?"

Hermione clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. "I kicked him out. Honestly, he was driving me mad! He wanted to hold Gypsy, then he wanted to bath her and feed her and burp her and teach her to talk…" she sighed and gave Gypsy a little tickle, making the baby squeak in enjoyment. "He's just so excited. I have to remind him constantly that they're babies, not quaffles."

"You know, out of our entire family, I never figured Ron to be the first with kids." Said Ginny looking around the living room. "I mean, he was always just such…" she trailed off, looking for the right word.

Hermione smiled. "Such an idiot?"

"Yes!"

"That's why we love him; because he's a blumbering, big handed, over-excited idiot. And hopefully the children – with all that said – will take after me."

"That's all the world needs. More book-obsessed Gryffindors."

Hermione rolled her eyes, finished changing her daughter and picked her up, sitting her on her hip. "Excuse me, but I do believe regular trips to the library saved our arses on more than one occasion." She said smugly.

They sat down on the couch together, one baby each and sighed. Holding a baby did give your arms a bit of a workout. Ginny looked at Hermione a smiled. The brunette was gazing down at her daughter as if still trying to grasp the concept that the bundle in her arms really was hers. Ginny could only vaguely imagine such a feeling.

"Are you upset that they inherited the typical Weasley trademark?" asked Ginny, stroking Daniel's soft red hair.

"Nah." Said Hermione, rocking Gypsy as she began to tear a little. "At least Daniel has my eyes and my chin. That's good enough."

"Are you sure? People may wonder if you really are their mother."

"There are worse things."

Ginny laughed, crossed her legs and rested Daniel in the dip of her lap gently. He reached out, grabbed her finger and gripped it tightly. He yawned, snuggled into her lap and slowly began to doze off.

"Any plans for you to have some?"

Ginny looked at Hermione with wide eyes. "Sorry?"

Hermione smiled. "Well, things are working out well with Harry, aren't they?"

"Not well enough to start thinking about Ginny and Harry Jr's I'm afraid. Blimey, we've only been together for a few weeks! We can't even decide on which toilet paper to buy down at the local shop."

Hermione laughed, stood up and took Gypsy over to her blanket on the floor and laid her down. "So, you're not ready to settle down at all?"

"I'm 23 Hermione, I'm too young."

"You're a year younger than me!"

"I know! And as much as I would like a family some day, I'm just not ready for that yet. I'm enjoying myself, I'm enjoying being with Harry… I like things the way they are." Said Ginny, looking down at Daniel again.

"Well, I suppose there is no hurry. Like you said, you're only 23. And I don't see Harry wanting to settle down any time soon either actually."

"See? That's what makes us such a good couple."

Hermione smiled. "What is he doing today anyway?"

* * *

Harry slowed from his sprint, to a jog, to a complete stop. He brushed his sweaty bangs out of his eyes, leaning over on his knees trying to catch his breath. He had just run around the backyard for a good half an hour at various speeds, and his legs were a little shaky.

He took a few minutes to slow down his breathing, calming down his body before summoning one of his wooden poles from the shed. He didn't really want to do it all that much in hindsight. He would much rather have another Tai Chi lesson with Ginny.

He looked around and frowned. It was too quiet. _Where's that woman of mine?_ He wondered, stretching the staff in front of him. _Hmm, probably blubbering over the babies like Hermione and her mother. _

Since Hermione and Ron had brought the twins home from the hospital two days ago, there had been a constant stream of visitors at their residence… but none so much as Ginny, Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger. They seemed to find the occasion of new additions to the family a very good excuse to cluck like hens over the tikes, express regular 'ooh's' and 'ahh's', and all that other fussing women did.

Harry, although equally excited about the new arrivals, did not see the point in always being over there. It's not like they were going anywhere. So, most times he abstained from going with Ginny on her now daily visits, opting to see Ron on the weekends.

He twirled the staff around him very quickly, straightened it and lunged into thin air. He then tilted it back and began twirling it again like a baton. He smiled to himself, finding it all very cool. He secretly loved being able to do this. He had a childlike enjoyment of pretending he was like a ninja or something out of those dubbed, black and white movies where people's voices didn't match the movements of their mouths.

He lifted it up over his head, span it very quickly, brought it back down…

CLUNK.

Harry almost jumped out of his skin as his staff connected with another. He blinked and tried to put his heart back in his ribcage as he looked at the person holding the other staff.

"Charlie!" cried Harry, trying to hide the fact that he had just about wet his pants in surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you were going back to Romania."

Charlie Weasley smiled at him, but didn't move. He was gripping the staff very tightly in his claused hands and, with his bulky frame, looked rather intimidating. "I was, but I'm staying around for a few more days.' He said, still not moving. 'Besides, Ginny wanted my reference put in to that Dragon camp she's moving too, and I preferred to do it in person."

"Hmm, nice of you to drop around and see me." Said Harry, well aware that things between the two of them were still – for some unknown reason – a little tense.

Charlie gave him a smug smile, pushed his staff back and took a step back. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Harry sniffed indignantly, not fooled for a second. "The hell you didn't."

Charlie laughed, took a stance and twirled his staff expertly. Harry blinked; unaware that any of the Weasley's had this knowledge at all. He gripped his own staff tighter but didn't get himself ready. He didn't want to do this with him.

"Come on." Urged Charlie.

"I don't want to fight you Charlie."

"Why not? I was best I'm my class you know."

"So was I."

Charlie sighed and Harry thought that was it. But in that moment, Charlie lunged and Harry quickly blocked his attack a split second before it was going to connect with his ribs.

"Are you _crazy_?" cried Harry, irritably shoving him away. "You could have broken my ribs!"

But Charlie simply lunged for him again. Harry blocked it easily and, having enough of the games, attacked Charlie with everything he had. For a moment, Charlie looked rather scared, but he simply upped the anti and went about fighting a little more seriously.

If anyone had come across them suddenly, they would wonder what on earth had been said to engage such a vigorous fight. Harry privately was quite surprised that Charlie knew how to do this, not to mention how good he was. His reflexes were amazing, but then that probably had to be because he was a dragon handler, and probably dodged fire and tails on a daily basis.

Charlie swung his staff around hard and low, causing Harry to jump to avoid getting whacked in the shins. "Hey, you're not bad." Said Charlie, pausing a moment to catch his breath. "You know, for a kid."

Harry frowned. "A kid who can still kick your arse at Quidditch… not to mention is dating your little sister."

Charlie frowned. Harry had hit the spot. "You've got balls to be doing that, let me just say that." And he lunged again.

Harry grunted at the contact and let out a growl, defending himself as Charlie went at him hard and fast. "Is that your problem? Me dating Ginny?"

"Yes, it is." Cried Charlie, his intensity increasing. Harry was taking steps back because of it.

Harry ducked a high swing, swung his leg around and tripped Charlie up. The older man fell hard onto the grass with a grunt and glared up at Harry, but it was not returned. Harry was looking down at him in confusion, leaning heavily against his staff trying to catch his breath.

"I don't understand." He breathed. "I thought we were mates Charlie."

Charlie got to his feet, pulled his jumper off revealing a white singlet and a very freckled chest. "You're right… you _don't_ understand."

Harry reacted quickly as Charlie lunged for him again. This seemed to be the only way Charlie could vent his obvious need to attack Harry without actually hurting him. But Harry really didn't get it. If Charlie liked him so much, then why was his relationship with Ginny such a problem?

"You know, I've already been threatened by most of your family. I know the deal; you're being the cliché, older brother…"

"You don't know a god-damn thing Harry!" yelled Charlie lunging for him again. "And you never will. It's a part of your life you never got to experience."

Harry frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Charlie sighed and finally stopped attacking Harry. He closed his eyes, gulping down air. Harry simply watched him. He looked to be having a lot of trouble catching his breath, and Harry had a suspicion it was more because of his anger and frustration than the physical exertion.

"I'm talking about siblings, Harry.' Said Charlie softly. "You don't understand what its like to see your little sister go through everything she has, what its like to worry about her every second of her damn life."

Harry frowned. "That's hardly my fault."

"No, I know." Sighed Charlie. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the sky; obviously quite uncomfortable with what it was he was trying to say. "I really don't expect you to understand this."

"Just say it already!"

"I'm jealous Harry, alright?" shouted Charlie, glaring at Harry. "There, satisfied? I said it. I'm _jealous_."

Harry blinked, totally unprepared for what he was hearing. "You're… _what_?" he stuttered. The terminology was throwing him off a little. How could confident, self-assured, popular Charles Weasley be jealous?

Charlie got to his feet, took a few steps away from Harry and began sparring with the staff alone. "It was always me, Harry. Whenever Ginny wanted someone to talk to, she would come to me. Whenever she was sad, I would be the one to make her smile. Whenever she had a nightmare, I would be the one to hold her and tell her everything was alright. I was the protector, the one to make her happy.

'And then she met you, and I got letter after letter about how great Harry Potter was, and how nice he was and how whenever he told a joke it always put a smile on her face. And I thought 'Sure, she's got a crush…nothing major'. But as she got older it progressed, and my letters became longer and more detailed about Harry and how he was so supportive and listened well...' Charlie trailed off, looking suddenlyrather sad.

Harry didn't know what to say. He could do nothing but watch Charlie as he slowly twirled the staff around.

"When she got the job with me in Romania, I was over the moon! I thought it would be like old times between us. Sure, she went on the casual date and had a few serious relationships, but the never got to me as much as this one because I knew the other guys weren't going to be the ones that she held onto for the rest of her life. And I suppose – selfishly – I was happy about that, because I could have her all for myself."

He laughed softly to himself and shook his head. "I was just fooling myself. No-one would ever have Ginny all to themselves… only you.

'She's my little sister Harry; my _only _sister. I love her more than anyone in this world. And I can't be that strong, older man in her life anymore. I cant be the one she runs to, or cries with, or laughs with… its going to be, and I suppose always has been, you. I'm sorry for being such a git, but this is a little hard for me to handle all at once."

Charlie threw his staff down in what looked a little childish and looked up at Harry, his blue eyes boring into Harry's green ones.

"I know you've probably been told this, but hurt her and I will kill you. Do you understand me?"

"You know I do."

Charlie nodded. "Look, you're a good guy and I really could think of no-one better for my little sister than you. But, I am _not_ happy about you taking away my best dragon handler, so for the next few months I am going to sit in a corner, pout like Percy when he only got an A for one of his essays and retain a steely silence in your presence. Can you deal with that?"

Harry snorted. "Yeah, I guess that's fair."

"And I know you'd rather rip your own balls off than hurt her." Said Charlie, cracking a smile.

Harry smiled, relieved that this was out in the open. He supposed Charlie was right; he probably never would understand that bond siblings seemed to have. It was one of the few things he envied about everyone else. It was an opportunity he would never get to experience and as such would have to accommodate the varying feelings of each Weasley brother. Even if it did mean one of them wanted to beat the snot out of him.

"Well, that's good incentive to treat her right, isn't it?"

"Damn right it is. Now, stand at the ready… I'll show you who's kicking whose arse around here you cheeky bastard."

* * *

Ginny smiled at Harry from the other side of the bath, the bubbles covering every inch of her but her head, neck and shoulders. Harry was sitting up a little more opposite her, a wine glass in his hand as he simply looked at her, studying every inch of her face from the scar along her left temple, to the way she wearing her hair up in that bun she so often wore.

"Tell me what you're thinking." Said Harry.

"That I love you." Said Ginny, stroking his hair shins under the surface of the bubbly, warm water. "What are you thinking?"

"That if I don't shag you in the next ten minutes my willy's going to fall off."

Ginny threw her head back and laughed, her whole body shaking. "You men, always thinking with your alternate head."

"Well, its there for a reason. Everyone needs a back-up system." Said Harry, taking a sip of his wine. "I tell you, it takes a good deal of energy for us men to remind ourselves that yes, we are evolved males and do not need to molest our girlfriends at every given opportunity."

"Hmm, apparently."

Harry chuckled and massaged her foot under the water with his bare hand. He had not told her about Charlie's visit earlier that afternoon for two reasons. Firstly, she didn't really need to know about it, and secondly… because Charlie was terrified that if she did know she would hex him within an inch of his life.

"So with that said, what are you thinking now then?" said Harry.

"That you're an idiot."

"Ah, we're making progress. Anyway, new topic… how goes the progeny of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum?"

"Fantastic! Ooh, they're just so cute you could put them in a bowl and eat them all up!" squealed Ginny, curling up into a ball from excitement.

Harry's eyebrows rose at her behavior. "Er, you're not getting ideas, are you?"

"Ideas?" asked Ginny, letting out a little giggle. "Ideas about what?"

"Well, don't women always get into the mindset of families whenever there's a baby born? Doesn't it start like some chain reaction amongst all of you?" he asked, slowly beginning to wish he had not brought the subject up at all.

Ginny frowned. "No actually. Well, sure… given some women do. But I'm not like that Harry. Just because Hermione had babies… God, it's like she's setting a standard for the rest of us to follow or something!"

"I didn't say that!"

"No, but its there. It's like now everyone's looking to me to pop out the next baby. Merlin's ghost, I'm only 23 years old! I don't want _kids_."

Harry frowned, wondering how long she had been mulling over this. Someone had obviously either been in her ear about it, or had given her hints at the very least. Harry had a pretty good idea of who that someone would have been too.

"You want kids at all?" he asked, putting his glass down on the floor.

Ginny sighed and rubbed her face, leaving a trail of bubbles. "If course I do. Just… not right now. I want to have fun being young; making mistakes and all that other stuff you only get to do when you're young and stupid. I'm not ready to settle down and have four kids and teach them spelling while daddy's off at work." She said. She blinked and looked at Harry. "Why, are _you_ ready for all of that?"

"What, marriage?"

"Yeah."

"With you?" he laughed. "Oh, no offence.

Ginny harrumphed mockingly. "Sure."

"Well, I love being with you Ginny. And I know I would like to marry you… but like you said, just not right now. Besides, we've only been together technically for a few weeks. The only other people I know who got married earlier than that are Dharma and Greg!"

Ginny snorted. "I like having you all to myself."

"The feeling is reciprocated, don't worry!"

They fell into silence, glad that such a pressing issue had been dealt with so quickly and painlessly. Harry was not at all offended that Ginny didn't want to make things overly serious between them just yet. He knew that was just her. She was kind of a free-spirit, not wanting to be held back or told to do something until she was ready. And, he was secure in himself enough to know that he was going to be the only one for her from now on.

"I'm glad you weren't my first." Said Ginny suddenly.

Harry blinked. "Your first?"

"My first shag. I'm glad I didn't loose my virginity to you." She giggled. "I mean, at the time I _was_ rather disappointed…"

"You were?"

"Harry, I've wanted to shag you since I was fifteen years old."

"Oh." Said Harry, feeling his ego inflate immensely.

"Don't you think so though?" she said, covering her collar bone with bubbles. "I mean, if we _did_ do it when we were younger it would have been really awkward and rather unenjoyable. I would have been in pain, you would have come too early…"

"_What_?" spluttered Harry.

"Its better that we've been with other people. I'm not fussed that I wasn't your first… because I get to be your last."

Harry smiled. "That is very true."

He sat up a little and leant over so he could lie on top of her. He kissed her slowly and tried not to smirk in satisfaction as she let out a little moan. Her wet body beneath him was just about all that he could handle.

"Mmm… what about our night off?" she giggled.

"My ten minutes is up, and my brain is no longer in the driver's seat."

Ginny laughed. "Well, in that case…"

* * *

A/N – I'm so sorry it took me forever to get this out, but with all the GOF stuff coming out, I've been extremely distracted! The trailer is out! Go see it!

Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14! I'm hoping to finish this up soon. Thanks for sticking with me this far!

* * *

Ginny awoke early, the blinding rays of the sun streaming through the gap in the curtains and directly into her face. She groaned, rolled over and stretched her arm out for the body that always lay beside her… but she touched nothing but the sheets.

She sat up a little and looked at the empty space beside her. She was used to this. Most mornings he would rise very early and go for a run before work. But it was a Saturday, and there was no need for him to be missing.

She got up, pulled on one of his massive work shirts over her naked upper torso and padded out of the room, rubbing her eyes. Ginny crossed the threshold into the main living area and stopped short.

Well, she had found him at any rate. Harry was sitting at the table, still dressed in his pajamas and a cup of coffee in front of him. His hair was very messy and his eyes were still red with fatigue. But that's not what had made her stare in shock.

Tonks was sitting at the table as well. Her hair was short and pink today (a typical trademark) and she was dressed not in her work robes, but in a simple shirt and jeans.

Both of them looked around at Ginny and smiled. "Hey Gin." Said Harry happily.

But Ginny wasn't looking at him. "Whatever it is, I didn't do it." She said, looking at Tonks as if she were about to take her off into custody.

Tonks laughed. "Don't look so worried. This is strictly a social visit Ginny, unless you really have done something wrong that I am yet to know about." She added, giving Ginny a look.

Ginny swallowed, but Harry laughed and got up from the table to kiss Ginny good morning. "Don't listen to her. She's stirring… and quite unnecessarily I might add." He said, giving Tonks a look.

Tonks laughed and kicked her boots off, relaxing into the chair. "Don't sweat it chicken, the big bad boss is not in possession of my body at the moment."

Feeling a little better, Ginny smiled and sat herself down at the table as Harry went to make her some breakfast. "So, what brings you over then if you're not here to clap me in irons?"

"Well little Miss everything-is-about-me, I actually found myself with nothing and wanted to spend the morning with one of my good friends." Said Tonks, jerking a thumb at Harry over her shoulder.

Ginny raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And what? Are you suggesting I have arterial motives Weasley?"

Ginny snorted. "You heard Charlie was back in town, didn't you?"

Harry smiled and put Ginny's breakfast in front of her as Tonks let out an indignant splutter, going beet red. And for a moment, you would forget she was one of the top Aurors in the ministry with the way she was acting.

"Well… yes. I had heard he was back. I would like to see him… but not for the reason you are thinking!" added Tonks hurriedly at Ginny's smirk.

"Sure, I believe you." Said Ginny, her tone suggesting completely the opposite.

Tonks frowned and reached for the salt shaker, and as a result knocked it to the floor. She let out a small cry of frustration and bent under the table to retrieve it. While she did, Ginny grabbed Harry's wand, waved it around and two smoke figures of people floated out of it. Harry stuck a knuckle in his mouth to stifle his laughter, as the two figures of Charlie and Tonks began kissing each other.

"Sorry. I can be graceful when the pressure's on but take me out of the work place and _what are you doing_?"

Ginny laughed as Tonks slammed the salt shaker down on the table and waved her hands dismissively at the figures making them dissolve.

"Oh come on, I lived with the man for nearly five years… I know who he's got feelings for and who he doesn't." said Ginny.

"I do not need love advice from a girl seven years my junior." Said Tonks.

"Hey, you come here you must be prepared for the consequences."

Tonks smiled, taking a good look at the couple in front of her for a moment. Ginny was digging into her breakfast, while Harry had his arm around her and was looking at Tonks, waiting for her next witty comment in her own defense.

"Look at you two, all cozy." She said, putting her elbows on the table and resting her head in the heel of her hand. "Any chance of another wedding anytime soon?"

Harry snorted. "Why is everyone saying that? Why can't we just be together without the pressure of possible nuptials?"

Tonks smiled. "Molly been in your ears has she?"

"She doesn't need to. Everyone's looking at us as if they're just expecting us to announce our engagement at any moment." Said Ginny. "I know that it's rather tradition for couples to get married young in our world, but I'm rather accustomed to the muggle way of thinking. They wait."

"And that's what you two are going to do?"

Harry and Ginny nodded.

Tonks frowned. "But… why? Are you not planning on being together for very long?"

"What? Of _course_ we are!" laughed Harry, exchanging a look with Ginny. "We've already decided that. Well, no, 'decided' is a bad adjective. We already know that there won't be anyone else. I was done with dating ages ago and Ginny…" he trailed off, looking at his girlfriend.

Ginny smiled. "Yeah, I cottoned on a little later. I know now that there won't be anyone else for me." She said, giving Harry a warm smile.

"And you both love each other with everything you possess?" asked Tonks.

Harry and Ginny exchanged another look. "Well, yes. Of course." Said Ginny.

Tonks smiled and sat back in her seat. "Then you're already married anyway." She said simply. "You know, marriage isn't defined by the rings you wear, or the paper you sign or the church you say your vows in…its defined by the love you share. Its not stereotypical, it's fragile and real. Marriage is proclaiming your love for one person, and _only_ them for the rest of your life. You walk down a road together, growing in what you're trying to build with each other. You love that other person so much that you'd do anything for them… even die. You don't need to have a ceremony to have a marriage; you just need that one other person that fills you up completely. The one that makes you smile just at the thought of their face, or the sound of their name."

Harry and Ginny stared at Tonks in amazement.

Tonks, realizing that they were looking at her completely stunned, blushed and shrugged. "Well, that's what my mum says anyway."

Harry blinked, feeling very stupefied by all this information. It was true; signing some peace of paper didn't make you married... not really. What really counted was that they were to be there for each other through everything. For better or worse…

Tonks sighed and looked at her watch. "Well, sorry to deliver such a smashing monologue and then dash, but I have family to see. Have a good weekend newlyweds."

Ginny smiled as Tonks got up and disappeared seconds later. She laughed at the silence and looked at Harry, who was looking as dazed as she felt.

"Wow." She breathed finally. "I never thought of it like that."

"Me neither." Laughed Harry, ruffling his hair. He looked at her. "I don't know why I was so reluctant to make it official. I mean, if what Tonks said was right – and I really think it is – then we basically really are already married." He said.

"What was holding you back?" she asked.

"Well, what was holding _you_ back?"

Ginny ran a hand through her hair and blew air out through her lips. "I guess… well, I had an image in my head of what married couples looked like. A very real, scary image."

Harry smiled, getting the point. "Your parents aren't that bad."

"I know that. But, I don't want to be like my parents Harry." She said. "I grew up with those ideals, only exposed to that sort of marriage. And then I got out into the world and saw the fun people could have without being married… and I kind of liked it.

"But with you Harry, it's so much better than just casual dating. This isn't what my parent's marriage was like and I guess…"she trailed off and sighed. "I'm not making any sense."

Harry laughed. "You didn't want our relationship to be like theirs. You wanted it to be our own, something we could do together without the pressure of actually being married." He said.

"Yeah, something like that. Its not that I think my parents have a bad relationship, because I think they have a wonderful marriage! But I'm not my mother – as much as she wants me to be – and I want different things for myself."

Harry smiled. "Like me?"

"I already have you sweetheart." She giggled. "I don't want to sound mean, but I want you to understand how I feel. I'm happy with the freedom we have. I was rather under the impression that settling down would mean we would have to… well…"

"Settle down?" laughed Harry.

"Yes!"

"It would make us a pair of old, fuddy duddies with nothing to do but host dinner parties, do housework and have kids to 'make our lives complete'?"

"_Yes_!"

Harry laughed. "Wow, that's what _I _was thinking. I mean really, I haven't had all that much to look up to when relationships are concerned. Only Ron and Hermione, and I'd rather not be like them." He added. "I just… want it to be us. Not like anyone else's marriage or whatever. I don't want to have our fun ruined."

Ginny shrugged. "Well, if what Tonks said is true… that's not going to happen now is it? Nothing would really change."

Harry nodded and put his elbows on the table. "No, I guess not."

The both fell into a comfortable silence for a moment, each of them looking at the table in thought. Had they been scared for no good reason? It certainly seemed so. Maybe everyone else had gotten this point a lot sooner then they had.

Harry blew air out through his lips and looked at Ginny. She was twirling a few stray strands of hair around her finger, staring absentmindedly off into space.

"So, you wanna get married then?" he asked.

Ginny blinked and looked at him. "Yeah, alright. Why not?"

* * *

Harry frowned as the building before them loomed slowly like an inescapable doom. Why was it they always seemed to be announcing things at the Burrow? It seemed a little predictable really.

He sighed. "Must we do this?"

Ginny smiled beside him and linked her arm through his. "Getting a feeling of déjà vu are we?"

"Cant we just keep this to ourselves for now?"

"Uh huh. Of course though when you say 'ourselves' you really mean me, you, Ron and Hermione."

Harry laughed. "You know me so well."

"Come on, we'll have to tell them eventually. Better now than later." Said Ginny, taking his hand as well as the lead. "Believe me, I more than anyone would like to just run away with you and do it right now."

"Hmm, no girl's ever said that to me before." Muttered Harry thoughtfully.

"You _know_ what I mean. Randy sod."

Harry sighed as she dragged him right up to the front door without any room for argument. It still, after all these years, made him feel like he was being rather rude by simply entering the house without knocking, but Ginny simply pushed the door open and pulled him inside after her.

"Mum? Dad?" called Ginny, looking around with a frown.

The house was very quiet, something not seen very often in the Weasley household. Normally, Mrs. Weasley would always be doing something around the house, making a huge racket without even noticing. But there wasn't a sound in the entire house, and her sudden absence was a little peculiar.

Harry looked through into the kitchen, just as Ginny led him toward the living room. He jumped and almost slammed into her as she suddenly stopped.

"Shh, you hear that?" she whispered.

"Hear what?"

"That! That noise. Like… some sort of animal." She whispered again, looking around in suspicion. "Something's not right."

Harry's pricked up, his instincts telling him that Ginny had a very good point. Indeed, now that he listened, he could hear a soft moaning. As if someone was in pain. The house wasn't in a mess, indicating there was no struggle, but if Mrs. Weasley was hurt somewhere in the house, perhaps unconscious…"

Harry nudged Ginny to grab her attention. He nodded once, pulled his wand out and looked at her hip with a quick glance of his eyes. Ginny nodded, understanding what he wanted. She too pulled her wand out.

Harry pointed towards the living room and they began to move slowly. Gradually they moved into the room, stepping over creaky floorboards to make their presence unknown. Ginny was in the lead, something Harry wasn't all together comfortable with, but didn't voice his opinion.

Ginny frowned as she moved fully into the living room, the moaning becoming louder. She wanted to call out for her mother, but didn't want to alert any potential intruders. Her mind was in a panic over the possible state of her mother. What if she was hurt?

Suddenly, something caught her eye on the sofa with its back to her. She moved around to check it out, and…

"Oh my god!" she cried, dropping her wand and clapping a hand over her eyes.

"Ginny!" someone cried in shock, followed by another cry and a THUMP.

Harry hurried over at the sudden commotion, wondering why on earth Ginny had acted the way she had. But once he spotted what Ginny had spotted, he totally understood why.

They had found the source of the moaning. Mrs. Weasley had been lying on the sofa, half her shirt undone with Mr. Weasley lying on top of her, kissing her rather heatedly with hands in places Harry didn't even want to think about her owning, let alone seeing. The moment Ginny had cried out, Mrs. Weasley had kicked her husband off him, sending him crashing to the ground.

Ginny laughed in utter shock, her hand still over her eyes. "Oh my… I can't believe… oh my _god_…"

"Harry!" cried Mrs. Weasley, spotting Harry finally.

Harry cleared his throat and looked at his feet, blushing furiously as Mr. Weasley picked himself up off the floor beside him. "Er, sorry." He muttered.

"Mum!" laughed Ginny, peeking at her mother through her fingers. "What on _earth_…"

Mrs. Weasley, blushing furiously, sat up and buttoned up her blouse, looking simply horrified with herself. "What do you expect, barging in without announcing yourselves?" she snapped. But Harry could tell she was only acting short tempered to hide her embarrassment.

Mr. Weasley cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck, turning away slightly and not looking any of them in the eye. "Well, good to see you two kids." He said, putting on a very deep voice.

Ginny was still spluttering incoherently, but had finally taken her hand away from her eyes. "Okay, and there adds another ten years to therapy."

"Oh honestly Ginerva, how do you think we made seven children? With clay mould?" huffed Mrs. Weasley.

"_Mother_!"

"Anyway…" cried Mr. Weasley, trying to move them along. "What brings you two over?" he said, looking at Harry.

"Well, er…" stuttered Harry, trying desperately to get the image of the two Weasley's making out on the sofa out of his head. "Um, Ginny? Why don't you tell them." He said.

Ginny glared at him. "You want to tell them _now_? After what we just… and they… oh my god." She said, clamping her eyes shut again.

"Ginny, stop it. What's all this about Harry?" asked Mrs. Weasley, putting her hair back into place.

"Well, we actually had something we wanted to tell the both of you. But, you look a little busy. Maybe we should come back or something. You know, at a more convenient time…" Harry trailed off, taking Ginny's hand, ready to run.

"No, no!" laughed Mr. Weasley, exchanging a look with his wife. "We were just, er… well, we're done." He muttered.

"For now." Added Mrs. Weasley quietly, giving her husband a smile.

"There goes another five years!" laughed Ginny, rolling her eyes. "Look, we really should just come back and let you get back to… er… yeah." She muttered, blushing again.

"For heavens sake, just tell us!" cried Mrs. Weasley, throwing her hands up in the air.

Harry sighed and took Ginny's hand. "Well, see it's like this… Ginny and I have decided we're going to take the next step in our relationship." He said with a smile.

Mr. Weasley frowned. "But, you've already moved in together."

"Not that you dolt!" laughed Mrs. Weasley, whacking her husband over the back of the head. She laughed and beamed at Harry and Ginny. "They're getting _married_! Oh Ginny…"

Ginny grunted as her mother threw her arms around her. "Mum, get a grip!"

"Well, this is smashing news!" boomed Mr. Weasley, grabbing Harry's hand and shaking it firmly. "Well done old boy, congratulations!" He smiled.

Harry laughed. "Thank you sir."

"_Sir_? Nonsense, all formalities no longer exist Harry!" laughed Mr. Weasley clapping his now future son-in-law on the back.

"When did all this happen then?" asked Mrs. Weasley, looking beside herself with happiness.

"Well, only this morning actually." Laughed Ginny, exchanging a smile. "He was quite the romantic too in asking me." She giggled.

Harry snorted. "Oh yeah, quite the prepared speech it was." He said sarcastically.

"So who knows?" asked Mr. Weasley, embracing his daughter.

"Well, just you at the moment. We only wanted to drop by to tell you the news, so we'd better get going." Said Ginny.

"Get going? Nonsense, stay and celebrate!" said Mrs. Weasley, already heading to the kitchen.

"No, mum, we really just want to get around and tell everyone. Then we can celebrate as a group. You know, do it properly – give you a chance to splash out if you so desire."

"Oh yes, alright. Go on, break the word to everyone." Said Mrs. Weasley, rushing forward again and throwing her arms around Harry, making him grunt. "Oh my babies, getting married…"

"Molly, let the boy breathe!" laughed Mr. Weasley, prying his wife from Harry.

"Well, we'd best be off. Many people to see, much to say." Said Harry, taking Mrs. Weasley's hand and kissing it.

"Enough of that! Come on." Said Ginny, grabbing Harry and dragging him towards the door.

"Bye bye!" he called, waving.

Ginny did not let go of him until they were completely out of the house and were walking along the road toward the village, the warmth of the day suddenly making everything suddenly ten times funnier.

Harry sniggered and put an arm around Ginny. "Oh yeah, you were so right. It really _was_ a good idea to see _them_ first."

"Shut up!" cried Ginny, slapping him in the chest. "Oh my god, I've never been so horrified in my entire life!"

"Don't kids normally bust their parents doing naughty things when they're younger?"

"What? Well, sure, I suppose. But not when we're _adults_, Harry! Good grief, they're too old to be doing that sort of stuff."

Harry laughed. "So, when we're their age you won't find _me_ attractive anymore?" he asked. He took her hand, twirled her around and kissed her. "Because I know I'll always find you beautiful."

Ginny smiled, blushing. "They took the news rather well. Mum didn't wet her pants at any rate."

"Hmm, at least not in the way you're talking about."

"_Harry_!"

He snorted and they resumed walking. "Take deep breaths Ginny, we're getting married. And I can't have you having anxiety attacks at the alter."

Ginny let out a sigh and put an arm around him. "We're really doing this." She said, testing out the theory once more. It still seemed a little surreal. She was really going to be his wife!

"Yeah we are." He said with a smile. But his smile dropped instantly as a thought popped into his head. "Oh bollocks."

"What? What's wrong now?"

Harry smiled weakly. "Charlie's gonna kill me."

* * *

A/N – Not very long, but hopefully still good!

Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15! Hooray!

* * *

"I can't believe he didn't even get you a ring, at _least_! Stingy bugger, wait until I get my hands on him…"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "We are not old fashioned Victorians, Ron. I didn't expect him to do the whole 'down on one knee' thing you see on feletision and read about in those soppy romance novels Percy reads." She bristled, suddenly baring a striking resemblance to her mother. "It's not about the proposal after all."

"Yes, quite right." Agreed Hermione, giving Ron a look.

Ron sighed and bounced his Daniel in his arms, receiving a hearty round of giggles as a consequence. "Well son, looks like the women are severely outnumbering the men today. And a real man knows when to back down, too."

Ginny and Hermione exchanged a laugh and shook their heads.

The three of them had spent a good portion of the morning talking non-stop about the upcoming wedding between Harry and Ginny. Hermione had been beside herself with the news as soon as the couple had broken the news to them, and Harry had known that Hermione also was only just holding herself back from having a very smug smile on her face. To Ginny's relief, they had not been offended that she and Harry had not gone to them first with the news. But, predictably Ron had been horrified at the tale of the situation Ginny had found their parents in.

Ginny sighed and rubbed her eyes. She was rather, and quite unexpectedly tired from going through choices for her dress for the past hour, and to give her eyes a break from staring at ink words of the descriptions, she looked up around the living room and smiled.

_This is all going to be legally mine soon_. She thought. _I wonder if it's natural to be this happy. _

As if this thought were a cue, Hermione, who had been sitting beside her at the table, got up and walked over to Ron at the sofa. She stood behind him, leant down and wrapped her arms around his neck. She must have whispered something in his ear, as he burst out laughing, turned his head toward her and kissed her.

Ginny put her chin in her hand and smiled at them. They were disgustingly cute sometimes, but also very happy. She wanted that so badly with Harry. To have been married to someone for years and yet still have that spark of love teenagers had with their first crush.

"So, where is the bum anyway?" asked Ron, looking around.

"In his room. I don't know what he's doing, he said he wanted time to go over some stuff." Said Ginny with a shrug.

Ron sniffed in amusement. "Probably jumped out the window and ran for the hills by now."

"_Ron_!" cried Hermione, looking at her husband clearly scandalized. "I can't believe you'd say something like that about Harry – and to your sister!"

"Oh come on, she knows I'm only fooling her! Don't you, Gin?"

"All joking aside, it was insensitive!" snapped Hermione. "Merlin, is your brain ever attached to your mouth?"

Ginny laughed and held her hands up. "Honestly Hermione, it doesn't matter…"

"Why are _you_ having kittens over it then?" demanded Ron, his eyes narrowing. "We've got nothing to do with their lives as you so often love to remind me. Or was _your_ brain out of commission then as well?"

Ginny groaned, giving up her attempts of mediation before she too headed down the path of probable decapitation like her brother.

Hermione flared up, her eyes flashing. "I beg your pardon? How dare you speak to me like that!"

Ron laughed through his lips and turned back around. "Are you sure you're not pregnant again? I haven't seen you this sensitive since the second Trimester."

"Okay, time out!" cried Ginny, as she saw Hermione slip into the icy calm state that really meant danger. "Ron, how about you and I take the kids for a walk? Get them out in the fresh air for a while? Not to mention I really want to get outside." She said, giving her brother a look that suggested that this was not a suggestion.

He took one look at Hermione's face, and then very hastily said "Oh yeah! I totally feel the same way. Come on kiddo, let's go." He said, standing up with Daniel.

Ginny gave Hermione's hand a squeeze, stood up and plucked Gypsy up out of the playpen.

"Oh sure, just go." Said Hermione briskly. "I don't mind. I'll just sit here with nothing but the half dead pot-plants for company."

"Oh stop picking for a fight." Said Ginny. "Go bother Harry if you really want someone to annoy."

Hermione folded her arms over her chest with a pout and watched as Ron and Ginny put the twins in the stroller, waved goodbye and left the house for the warm outdoors. Once again she was left not having the last word – something that had been happening more and more lately.

She sighed impatiently, stood up and went around opening some windows.

"Stupid pillock." She muttered angrily to herself. "How dare he… can't believe… ridiculous insinuations…"

Once this chore had been done, along with fluffing up pillows, putting away dishes, straightening up the living room and even dusting the bookshelves, Hermione had once again found herself with nothing to occupy her mind but her frustrations about her husband.

She sighed, rubbed her eyes and headed off towards Harry's room. Although he was most likely busy, even just sitting with him would suffice her needs for now.

She knocked on his door. "Harry? You busy?" There was no answer. She frowned, turned the handle and pushed the door inward just a little bit, enough to stick her head through.

Years ago, it would have struck her as weird to hear people talking about someone's room being soaked in their essence. 'A load of nonsense' she would have said to them – but either she had been turned from her ignorance, or Harry was the exception. Every time she stepped into a space that was just his, she was if she could sense him standing with her. His room was fairly clean and bathed in sunlight, illuminating every piece of furniture and making the glass of his picture frames sparkle. It smelt strongly of his deodorant, but it also held another sort of vibe about it that Hermione had always, even since their first day to Hogwarts, associated with Harry.

She found him sitting at the desk, his elbow propped up and his head resting in the heel of his hand. He was staring off into space, his quill still clutched in his hand and papers scattered before him on the desk. She would have found it all rather amusing, had his expression not concerned her so.

Stepping into the room fully, she closed the door behind her and crossed slowly over to him. "Harry?"

He blinked and looked up at her with slight surprise. "Hermione?"

"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "I knocked and you didn't answer."

"You knocked?" he asked, blinking rapidly as if he had just been stupefied and woken up once more.

She snorted. "Forgot your hearing aide today, did you?"

"Oh yeah, going a bit senile. Happens at this age I've heard."

Hermione sighed. He still looked a little dopey, as if he had been yanked harshly from his deep, fast-traveling train of thought. "What's the matter, Harry?"

"Nothing." He said, giving her a hasty smile. But he knew even before he had finished his sentence, that he wasn't fooling her for a single second. He sighed and put his head in his hands. "Must you look at me like that?"

"Like what?"

"Like you can see right through me. Dumbledore used to do that."

Hermione leant on the table, not letting him change the subject. "Harry, what's troubling you?"

He didn't look at her, but simply let out a low, deep breath as if gathering himself up. His shoulders sagged, his aura pulsed lazily... even his hair seemed to droop. He had gotten himself into a rut over something, that much was obvious.

Harry shivered. Although he wasn't looking, he could feel her eyes boring into him. He didn't want to tell her, but he did at the same time. Such conflict he used to possess in his teen years had not yet left him, and he wondered if it ever would. But, if there was one person he knew he could tell anything to, it was Hermione.

"I've been sitting here for the past two hours,' he said ', looking over table settings, RSVP's, menu's, song choices, suits, prices…and do you want to know the only thing I've been able to think about is?"

"No, what?"

Harry looked up at her and smiled sadly. "I wish my parents were going to be there."

Hermione felt her heart break at the look on his face. He laughed, shook his head and picked up his quill again, not wanting to look at her anymore. She moved around to his side of the desk, bent down beside him and took his hand in hers.

"They will be."

"Not the way I want them to be." He said his eyes boring determinedly into the desk. "Dad won't be there to slap me on the back at the reception, and Mum won't be there to dance with me after the dinner. They won't smile up at me when I kiss the bride, they won't be there to hear me give my speech of how much I love Ginny and they won't get to hug her, welcoming her into the Potter family. They just… they wont be there, Hermione. They've _never_ been there."

Hermione didn't know what to say. Talking about people living on in our hearts, and their spirits being around us did not seem an appropriate thing to say at all. Harry's parents had always been an ever-growing hole in his heart that nothing could ever fill. So she did the only thing she could do.

She said nothing, and simply held his hand.

* * *

Ron laughed.

Ginny looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Oh nothing, just thinking."

"And it tickled?"

Ron smiled and shoved her a little, making her stumble off the dirt road a little and almost knock into passers by. "Actually, I was finding it quite amusing how you and Harry seemed to have suddenly switched roles in your up-coming nuptials."

Ginny snorted, shoved him back and took the handle of the twin stroller, pushing it slowly down the hill. "Er, please explain?"

"Well, he's up at the house with the maid of honor, going over all the finer details of the wedding and reception and stressing over it no doubt, while you're out with the best man, having a jolly good time doing nothing and worrying about nothing."

"I'm not as calm as I appear on the exterior you know. That little trick I learnt from Bill."

Ron laughed. "Still, you're not having kittens over it… a rare occurrence for you about something as important as this."

Ginny smiled. "I spent six years with Dragons, Ron. I learnt to keep my hysterical outbursts in check until a safer, more private situation presented itself."

"Well, as long as all that pent-up hysteria doesn't combust at the alter, I think you'll be right."

She laughed and looked at her brother. "Can I talk to you?"

"You know you can."

She paused. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

Ron blinked and looked at her. "Are you serious?"

Ginny bowed her head in shame. "I know! It sounds so horrible and I feel wretched enough just thinking about it!" she said angrily. "Merlin Ron, I don't want to have these doubts. I love him more than anything."

"Isn't that enough?"

"He's not giving me everything." She said, looking up at her brother. "He's still holding something back and I can't for the life of me think what it is! I'll give everything I have to him. My trust, my loyalty, my body…"

Ron looked at his sister in sympathy. "Ah well, Harry's always been a bit funny like that. Kinda thinks he doesn't deserve the love we want to give him. I mean, take me for example."

Ginny looked around as Ron stopped, lifted his shirt up and exposed the long, pink scar that went all the way across his chest, starting under his right shoulder and diagonally stretching all the way down to just below his ribs. It was an everlasting reminder of the moment where Ron had jumped in front of Harry to save his life. It had been during the final battle in their seventh year, and Lucius Malfoy had sent a very hard cutting spell right for Harry… but Ron had gotten their first. Ron had nearly died from blood loss at the depth of the cut he sustained.

It was a harsh, bitter-sweet reminder of the relationship her brother and Harry had, but Ron never saw it as anything terribly heroic.

He smiled and smoothed his shirt back into place. "I was willing to give everything for him – I still am. Well, maybe not my body so much."

Ginny giggled as he put one arm around her shoulders and fixed the sun visor of the stroller before they began walking again.

"Look, none of my business… but I suggest you just talk to him. Worst case scenario, he closes up and turns in 'don't-talk-to-me-or-I'll-blast-your-eyes-out' Harry. But I highly doubt he'd do that to you for very long."

Ginny nodded. "Indeed. We wouldn't have much of a marriage if we didn't talk to each other about these sorts of things."

"Oh I wouldn't say that. Some people have perfectly wonderful marriages living in two different countries."

Ginny rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the side. "Well, you can definitely count 'Marriage counselor' off your list of future career ambitions. Bloody useless you are!"

But, as he grabbed her and gave her a quick noogie before resuming their slow walking pace, Ginny found his advice to be quite the opposite of useless.

_Huh, Ron gave good advice_. She mused, closed her eyes and tilting her face up toward the sun. _Who would have though that?_

* * *

Harry laughed quietly to himself as he watched Ginny across the table as she tried to retrieve her noodles from inside the box she was holding. First she would stab it, then she would stir it around and shove it into a corner, and then she would attempt to drag it out using the corner of the box as a support.

Ginny, whose face was screwed up with concentration, looked up when she heard Harry laughing at her. She rolled her eyes. "Stop that, it's not funny."

"Oh yes it is." He said, getting his food with complete ease.

She glared at him and went back to her food. "Barmy invention. How in the world is anyone meant to eat their food using two sticks?" she cried, looking at her chopsticks in disbelief. "Bloody muggles, have to do everything the hard way. And you had better stop laughing at me, Potter!"

Her threat only made him laugh more. "I told you how to use them."

"Oh yeah, 'put your fingers here and hold them like this and use them like this.' Not exactly an award-wining instruction manual." She scowled.

Harry rolled his eyes and put more pork into his mouth. "Go and get a fork if it bothers you then."

"I don't need a fork! I can do this."

"You're so stubborn."

"Are you're so smug. Look at you sitting there, all superior 'cause you know how to use chopsticks and I don't." she snapped. She sighed and paused, a sudden thought coming into her head. "How _do_ you know how to use chopsticks then anyway?"

Harry smiled, expertly pulled some noodles out of his take-out box and loaded them into his mouth. "I spent a few months in China few years back. It was this huge assignment and Moody wanted me over there. I had to learn the customs, the streets…"

"You pick up any Chinese while you were there?" she asked.

"Nah, but there was this one American girl…"

Ginny threw her napkin at him and he laughed. "I do not wish to hear about past flings so close to our wedding, Mr. Weasley." She said, giving him a look.

Harry snorted. "Mr. _Weasley_?"

"Merlin, yes! I am _not_ changing my name."

"Good, I didn't expect you to."

They continued to eat in silence for a few moments after that, but Ginny – aside from the fact that she was ready to stab Harry in the eye with her chopsticks in sheer irritation – still had things she wanted to discuss with him. Wedding discussion had long ago exhausted itself.

"So,' she said, breaking the silence. 'What did you and Hermione get up to this afternoon while we were gone?"

"Oh you know, just bitched about our partners, dwelled in the dismal meaningless of our lives, had a bit of a snog… normal stuff."

Ginny shot him a look. "I know you're joking."

"Of course I am. My life isn't meaningless."

"Hermione told me about what you said."

This stopped Harry's humor. In fact, Ginny was quite sure she could actually feel it drain from him. His smile vanished and he looked at the table, suddenly quite still. This is where he would decide whether he was angry or embarrassed or both at the same time.

"She did, did she?"

"Don't say it like that. I had to practically drag it out of her, she was that determined not to tell me." Said Ginny. "Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"I didn't want to bother you."

"How would it bother me?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You have enough to be worrying about at the moment without me loading off my personal misgivings onto you on top of it all." He said, as if this were final.

"But I want you to." She said firmly but kindly, trying to catch his eye. "I want you to tell me everything, give me everything – don't hold back Harry. If you want to give it, I will more than happily take it."

Harry looked at her. "I can't do that."

"Oh bollocks. I don't believe that." She said.

"It's not fair on you. Why should you have to listen to all the little things that bother me when I can not do the same for you?"

"I don't have any problems, but if I did you would most certainly be hearing about them."

Harry smiled weakly. "Look, it doesn't matter…"

"Don't do that." Said Ginny, cutting him off. She looked at him across the table, her eyes unwavering. "Don't shut me out. I want you to lean on me. That's what a relationship involves. I want you to need me."

Harry snorted. "I happen to like my manly independence."

"I don't mean like that!"

"I know you don't." he took her hand from across the table and kissed her knuckles softly. "And I do appreciate what you're trying to say. But honestly, I'm fine with it. Everybody has moments of self pity once in a blue moon and quite frankly I'm used to them."

Ginny surveyed him suspiciously for a moment, but he was giving her that cheeky, infectious grin that made her own mouth curl up into a smile.

"Ah, you are going to be the death of my sanity, Harry Potter."

"That means I'm living up to my basic requirements as a husband. Now go get a fork and finish your dinner, I want to take you away and do naughty things to you."

* * *

A/N – I realize this was very short, but I'm making the next chapter the last. I have run out of petrol people, and need a serious hiatus from fanfic! But don't worry… I'll be back.

Please review!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16! Here we are, at the end of another story. Blimey, I sure do write a lot, don't I?

* * *

The day was better than anyone could have expected. With the days of summer slowly drawing to a close, warm and pleasant afternoons were becoming somewhat of a treasured rarity. Harry had been most worried about their being rain or wind or any other inconveniences to ruin the day, but so far nothing had gone wrong at all.

He looked up at the cloudless, blue sky and squinted against the sun. There was only a feint breeze. Harry smiled and tugged on the ends of his shirt. It was to be a very good day – and for more than one reason.

He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around the backyard. Early on in the arrangements, Harry and Ginny had both decided that they didn't really want to get married in the stuffiness of a church, or have to wear anything too fancy and other such details, so they had come to agreement to have a simple, low key wedding. So, with that, Harry had suggested that they have it at the Burrow. It was a home for both of them, and somehow seemed mutual ground.

So, here they were, out in the backyard of the Burrow, setting up things for the quickly approaching ceremony. Chairs were being set up opposite an alter, with an arch with vines wrapped around it and flowers. There were a few people wandering around, and some of them Harry didn't know. He guessed they were relatives of Ginny's.

"Harry!"

Harry spun around and blinked as Hermione ran across the lawn toward him, her brown hair flaying out behind her. She was already half-dressed in her violet, summer dress and was missing her shoes.

Harry smiled as she lurched to a stop in front of him, looking quite harassed. "What?"

"Aren't you ready? You should be ready! Even Ginny's ready and you're not ready and how can everyone else be ready if you're not ready and…"

"Hermione! _Breathe_." Laughed Harry, grabbing her by the arms and making her stop her rambling. "Everything is going to be fine."

Hermione took two deep breaths and began bouncing on the balls of her feet. "I am maid of honor, Harry, and have a supreme right to take away the hassle of making sure everything is perfect from the bride. And I'll ask you again, why aren't you ready?"

Harry blinked. "But, I _am_ ready." He said, looking down at himself. In keeping with the low-key theme of the wedding, he was wearing just a pair of black trousers and a light, very pale blue shirt with no tie. "What, you don't like it?"

"Oh, no, of course I do. You look lovely." Said Hermione, reaching up and fussing over his collar. "I suppose I'm just a tad jittery."

Harry snorted. "You are?"

"Believe me; I really didn't expect to be. I think just the thought of you marrying Ginny today… well; it's all rather romantic, isn't it? Not to mention that it's _you_ I'm going to be letting go of today."

Harry smiled, understanding. He had felt sort of the same way when she and Ron had gotten married; as if _he_ were the one handing her over instead of her father, and the same with Ron. It was a rather complex situation that probably no-one would understand – but then, they weren't really meant to.

He rubbed her arms and looked down at her properly. The dress was a typical bridesmaid's. It was lavender and had thin straps. The neckline was low and exposed the collarbone, and it was a very light, silky material.

"You look very pretty."

Hermione smiled. "You think so?"

"I wouldn't say so if I didn't think so."

"Hmm, and you haven't even seen me with my hair done yet."

Harry laughed and hugged her. "Ah, thank god you're here, Hermione."

Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek. "Well, love to stay and chat but I have beauty spells to work."

She gave his hand a squeeze and moved to run off. Harry watched her go for a moment.

"Tell her I love her, and that she's beautiful without all that beauty stuff!" he called.

Hermione waved over her shoulder and disappeared through the back door and into the house.

Harry sighed to himself and looked back up at the sky. Yes, it was to be a very good day.

* * *

"I want to hit him."

Bill rolled his eyes. "Don't be absurd."

"I'm not, I'm serious. I'm going to thump him the second I get a moment alone with him."

"Hmm, all alone and not where he's in perfect view of your little sister who will deck you to within an inch of your life for laying a hand on her husband?"

Charlie smiled and took another sip of his drink. "Yes, pretty much."

The two eldest Weasley boys were sitting in Bill's old room, getting ready. Charlie was already dressed and was sitting in the armchair near the window, looking out into the backyard while Bill pulled on his trousers behind him.

"Why can't you just be happy for her?" asked Bill, doing up his fly.

"I am happy for her."

"So happy you want to commit homicide."

Charlie laughed and looked at his brother over his shoulder. "You can't honestly tell me you haven't, at any point of time during their little affair, wanted to hang him up by his toes and use him as a punching bag."

"It's _Harry_!"

"Yes, all the more reason to belt the snot out of the little sod."

Bill shook his head and smiled, scratching his bare chest. He walked over to stand by Charlie and looked down into the yard. Harry was standing near the huge oak tree, talking to their mother. He had a look about him that suggested he was both nervous and excited at the same time.

Bill sighed and ran a hand through his long red hair. "Look, all joking aside, you are happy for them, aren't you?" he asked, looking down at his little brother.

Charlie smiled and took another sip of his drink. "Well I'd tell you, but then it would put a crack in the broody, arrogant façade I'm trying to wear."

Bill rolled his eyes and reached for his shirt. "You're such a drama queen." He said, pulling the black shirt over his head.

"Well, someone has to be." Said Charlie.

Bill laughed and then there was a knock at the door. Both men looked around to see Ron standing in the doorway, dressed in his white shirt, black tie and trousers like Harry and looking dramatically happy about something.

"Come on, we've got to hurry." Said Ron, jerking his head out into the hall.

"Oh right, the Circle." Said Bill, pulling his hair up into a ponytail.

"Hold the Unicorns, little brother, we'll be there in a sec." said Charlie, getting to his feet.

Ron nodded. "Yeah, just don't take too long. Ginny's ready to have kittens as it is without you two being late for this." And he disappeared again.

Charlie downed the last of his drink, put his glass down on his bedside table and then made his way out of the room with Bill. The two of them were still only half ready, weren't' wearing shoes and Charlie hadn't combed his hair.

The two of them were only a few doors from Ginny's room, when Hermione came out of no-where and barreled into them.

"Ah! _Cripes_ Hermione…" groaned Charlie, for she had stood on his foot with her heel.

"Sorry, cant talk." She cried, looking very stressed. "Things to do, people to harass… where are you two going?" she asked, eyeing them suspiciously.

"To see Ginny." said Charlie, rubbing his toe.

"Oh, right. The Circle. Well, don't take too long! Heavens, this is just what we need…more delays…"

Bill laughed as Hermione disappeared down the stairs muttering to herself and trying to tie her hair up. "Women. Honestly, all this wedding stuff sends them all barmy. You should have heard Fleur this morning, 'Bill, does ziz dress make me look fat?'" said Bill in a perfect imitation of his girlfriend.

Charlie laughed. "And there's no right answer to that question, except running for the next room and locking the door."

Bill smiled, lead them up the hall and stopped at the door that had been home to the only teenage girl to ever live in the Burrow. Bill sighed, gathered his wits and knocked on it.

"Come in if you have red hair!" came Fred's voice.

Charlie and Bill smiled and pushed the door inward.

Ginny's moderately large room suddenly felt quite cramped with all the bodies in there. Fred and Ron were sitting on the bed, dressed and ready, Percy was over at the window with his back to the room as he looked out the window and George was talking to Ginny.

"Hey, get in here and hurry up. Harry's already tried three times to get in here." Said Fred, spotting his brothers at the door.

The two eldest moved into the room and Bill shut the door behind them. Bill went straight to Percy, but Charlie couldn't take his eyes off his sister.

She was dressed in a simple, full length white dress without a veil or any frill, bow or lace. It was just a simple, satin dress that looked rather like a nightgown. Her hair was out and hung over her shoulders and halfway down her back. On the left side, there was a small braid made from a few strands of red hair. She was glowing and she looked absolutely beautiful.

Not that he expected anything less.

Ginny looked up at him as he crossed to her and George and smiled. He put a hand on her cheek, brought her forward and kissed her on the forehead.

"Hey Red." He whispered.

Ginny laughed and threw her arms around him. Charlie simply squeezed her tightly; not wanting to let her go, but knew that he would have to in just a few short minutes.

"Alright, let's do this before Mother gives herself an aneurism." Said Percy, his voice of reason cutting through the air like a whip of authority.

George laughed. "I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I agree with you, Perce."

"Ow, did you hurt yourself?" asked Ron with a smile, getting up from the bed.

"Children enough." Said Ginny in a very scary imitation of her mother. "Let's get back to me, shall we?"

The six boys and one girl all moved into a cramped circle in the middle of the room. They all took each other's hands and smiled at one another, letting a comfortable silence fill the room for a moment.

"Shouldn't Mum and Dad be in on this too?" asked Fred, looking around at his siblings.

Charlie shook his head. "No, this is just for us."

"Shall we start?" asked George.

"Who wants to do it?" asked Ron.

Everyone looked at each other expectantly.

Bill sighed. "I'll do it." He said. "Unless anyone has any objections?"

When no-one said anything, Bill nodded and bowed his head. The rest of them did the same and almost as a collective, they all took in a deep breath and let it out again. Bill felt Ginny's hand in his left and Percy's in his right. Ginny was trembling a little, but from excitement, nerves or simply from being cold, he couldn't tell.

He cleared his throat. "All powerful Merlin, we thank you for conjuring up such a beautiful day to which our sister Ginny could enjoy when she marries the love of her life. We also thank you that, by divine intervention, you could allow our work schedules the flexibility so that we could all be here and witness this occasion."

"Amen to that." Muttered Fred.

Bill smiled. "We ask that you grant this marriage protection from the horrors our world can throw at us, and that you keep them safe and sound not only from outsiders, but from each other."

"_Bill_!" hissed Ginny.

Everyone laughed, but Bill continued. "Merlin, we know that Ginny will be happy, even though she is marrying probably the biggest nerd in the world who can't even make farting noises under his armpit."

"Hmm, loser." Chuckled Ron.

"Can we stop with this unnecessary humor please?" bristled Percy. "Ginny, forgive Bill, he hasn't taken his medication."

Bill sighed. "Okay! Merlin, just divine this relationship to have fun and love and trust and honor and respect…"

"And sex, Bill, you forgot fantastic, mind-blowing sex." Whispered Ginny.

"GINNY!" shouted the boys.

"In your greatness we thank you Merlin, blessed be!" finished Bill loudly.

"Blessed be!" echoed the others.

They all lifted their heads and blinked. "Well, I can definitely see why we don't want our parents present for these things." Laughed Charlie, looking at Ginny in amazement.

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, I'm not a prude. Now, thank you for the Circle, but now you all have to get out why I try and put these ridiculous heels on."

The boys all kissed her on the cheek one at a time, before filing out of the room. Ginny watched them all go and shut the door once Ron finally left and looked back into her empty room.

It meant a lot to her that they did the Circle for her. Given, that it was a tradition that they were to perform before any wedding any of the six of them had, but she still felt it gave her the confidence boost she needed.

She crossed to the window, leant on the sill and looked out into the yard. People were starting to take their seats, most of them with red hair. She smiled as she spotted Hagrid amongst the crowd, booming loudly to Harry. He looked as nervous as she felt, yet happy all the same.

_This is it_. She thought. _This is really it. I'm going to be married! To Harry!_

Ginny jumped as there was a knock at the door. "Er, come in."

The door creaked inward and her father stuck his head in the room. He spotted her instantly a smiled, moving into the room completely and shutting the door behind him. He was dressed in his best robes and looked very handsome.

He simply stared at her in amazement for a moment, before sighing. "Where's that girl gone who used to tug on the pants of my trousers, hand me her sippy cup and demand more juice?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and smiled. "Did she ever really exist?"

Mr. Weasley crossed to his only daughter and embraced her warmly, stroking her hair. "Oh, believe me, she existed. And I've never been more proud of her than I am right now."

Ginny laughed and pulled back, sniffing back a sob. "Dad, you're going to make Hermione's lovely make-up run all over my face." She said, wiping a finger under her eye and checking her mascara.

Mr. Weasley kissed her cheek. "You ready?"

Ginny sighed and shrugged. "You bet I am."

"Then grab your shoes and bouquet and let's do this. We have a wedding to attend."

* * *

"Will you stop checking your watch? That's the fifth time this minute you've looked at the bloody thing."

Harry let his arm drop to his side and glared at Ron beside him. "I'm just…"

"Yeah, you're just obsessing." Muttered Ron, fiddling with the top button of Harry's shirt. "Just relax. Looking at the time won't make it pass any faster."

Harry frowned and looked back out at the people. He was standing up at the alter, Ron beside him. Everyone was now taking their seats (or in Hagrid's case, bench) and Ginny was nowhere in sight. Harry had lost track of time since early that morning, but even more so now.

"She's late." Said Harry, craning his head to look at the back door of the Burrow.

"She's a woman, of course she's late."

"You were just up there with her! Wasn't she ready?" demanded Harry, giving his best man a stern look.

Ro rolled his eyes. "If you don't stop snapping at me, I'm going to smack you as hard as I can possibly muster."

Harry sighed and ruffled his hair. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm just a bit…"

"Antsy? Worried? Paranoid?"

"Stop trying to help me, Ron!"

"What on earth are you two fighting about now?" came a new voice.

Harry and Ron spun around to see Minerva McGonagall standing there, her robes in immaculate condition and a curious expression on her face as she looked at the two boys in front of her.

Harry and Ron exchanged a look. "Well, Ron's just being a git." He said.

McGonagall tsked. "Will you two ever just learn to let things go?"

"No." the men said together.

The old witch rolled her eyes and conjured up a podium in front of her. "Well then you will have to improvise for now. Wedding days are no time for tiffs and disagreements… especially ridiculous ones like yours."

Harry watched her set herself up for a moment. "Thanks Professor, you know, for doing the ceremony for us today." He said.

McGonagall stopped her fussing and looked at her former student for a moment, before smiling. It was startling how such a simple gesture could make such a difference to her face.

"Harry, this is an honor I never would have imagined myself fulfilling. And I know that if you had the option, you would not have me doing this, but someone else…"

Harry stopped her with a wave of his hand. "Professor, _you_ are my first choice." He said. "You're right. Dumbledore isn't here, and in his unfortunate absence I could think of no-one better."

McGonagall bowed her head respectfully. "Bless his soul." She said, going solemn for just a moment. She shook herself and smiled up at Harry. "Well, get back into place. We're starting." She said ushering him back into his spot.

Harry's eyes widened and he looked around at Ron, who had been looking at his feet with the expression of someone who had been eavesdropping but was trying to act like they weren't.

"Ron! Did you hear that? We're _starting_!" he cried, grabbing Ron by the collar of his shirt and looking at him in panic.

Ron laughed, took Harry's hands and put them down at his side. "Okay, this is where we remember to breathe. Oxygen is good Harry; oxygen is your friend…"

Harry nodded hastily and took deep breaths. "Yes, you're right… I'm fine… I'm totally ready for this."

Everyone seemed to sense something, as the crowd of guests took their seats as McGonagall conjured up a red carpet and laid it down the middle of the two sections of seats.

"Are you sure? You look a little peaky. Would you like me to fetch you a paper bag? Or maybe a good sedative?"

"Shut up, Ron!"

* * *

"Good lord. I didn't realize there would be so many people here today."

"You did invite them, dear."

Ginny gave her father a look over her shoulder, before turning back and peering around the corner of her house. Everyone was taking their seats, Harry was glaring at Ron for some reason, her mother was busy chatting away to Andromeda Tonks sitting in the row behind her…

"Alright sweet pea?"

Ginny jumped, momentarily forgetting her father was standing behind her. "What? Of course I am! Why would you think that I wasn't?"

Mr. Weasley smiled. "Maybe because we're hiding behind the house instead of going out there and actually having a ceremony."

Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but shut it again and sighed.

"It's okay to feel jittery and nervous."

"No, its not." She said, straightening up and leaning her back up against the wall. "I said yes because I _wanted _to marry him, to make it official, and here I am hiding behind the house like some little girl, afraid to go to school because someone teased her about her pigtails."

She felt horrible for such insecurities. She wanted this, didn't she? Hadn't see been looking forward to this day for the past month? Her sudden hesitation seemed to have appeared from inside her gut in a time span of just a few seconds, and now it sat there with a nagging tug that would not leave her alone. Was it normal for brides to feel this way? Or was there something else at work?

Mr. Weasley, sensing her irritation, stepped forward and slung her arm through his. "How about we go out there, stand at the top of the aisle and we'll see what happens from there?"

She smiled up at him, the simple touch of his hand on hers making her feel that much better. "If you're ready to give me away, that is."

"Yes, well, lets not get onto what I think."

Ginny laughed and allowed him to lead her out from behind the house to where Hermione was standing. She caught her Maid of Honor's eye and conveyed everything she was feeling through a simple look.

Hermione, already brilliant without adding the ability to read Ginny's body language to her resume, smiled reassuringly at her best friend. "Don't worry,' she whispered out of the corner of her mouth 'I was feeling exactly the same. It's not just you."

Not entirely sure if she was comforted by this fact or not, Ginny simply smiled back.

The atmosphere suddenly went very still and a feint music began playing from somewhere to her left. Ginny fiddled with the bouquet in her hands and looked at her guests, a few faces standing out more than others. There was Bill, one leg crossed over the other, looking very complacent about the whole affair. There was Luna Lovegood with Colin, looking at the flowers nearby with fascination. There was Seamus Finnegan, giving Harry a supportive thumb up…

Harry.

Ginny felt her knees weaken as she spotted him. It wasn't that he was looking simply smashing in his outfit, or that he was smiling at her with that cheeky smile he reserved for only her (he wasn't even looking at her, but was talking to Ron)… no, it was because he was _there_, at the end of the aisle, waiting for her.

He was just _waiting_ for her, and this thought was reassuring. He would wait for her to be ready, no matter what her decision was at this moment. She didn't have to marry him today, and he would wait for the day when she did want to. There was no pressure.

Feeling much better, Ginny hit Hermione on the backside. "Get going." She whispered.

Hermione smiled, stood up straight and began her walk down the red carpet.

"Ready my love?" asked Mr. Weasley in Ginny's ear.

Ginny smiled. 'Let's go."

* * *

Harry smiled as he watched Hermione walk up the aisle. He could feel Ron stiffen beside him, and knew without looking that his best friend had that dopey, love struck, I-cant-believe-that-woman-is-my-wife look on his face he always got whenever he even thought about the woman.

But even as Hermione gave them both a wink as she passed and took her position opposite her, Harry couldn't help but shiver in anticipation as the music changed and everyone stood up out of their seats.

He stood up straighter and turned a little… and saw her.

And only her. Everything else around him had become a blur. He didn't feel the breeze on his face, or the sun on his shoulders... he only saw her. She walked toward him, her eyes never wavering from his. Every step she took, bringing her closer to him, was slow and light. She was floating.

Ginny hoped with everything she had, that this would not be the last time Harry would look at her in that was ever again. It was an expression that suggested she was the only thing in his life that even mattered. She was walking toward him in a daze of blurred reality, and her father's arm through hers was the only thing anchoring her down and preventing her from floating away.

Five steps, four steps, three steps… Harry counted the distance until she was standing beside him. He smiled down at her, feeling his knees go weak for some reason.

"Who gives this woman to this man?" said McGonagall. Her voice was like a crack back into reality.

"I do." Said Mr. Weasley.

Harry held his hand out, and Mr. Weasley took Ginny's hand and placed it Harry's. He closed their fingers around each other, smiled at both of them and then made his way back to his seat and his wife.

Harry smiled at Ginny. "Hi."

She giggled. "Hi." She whispered.

They turned to face McGonagall.

"Where are your shoes?" whispered Harry out of the corner of his mouth.

Ginny smiled and wriggled her bare toes on the grass. "Later." She muttered.

"Friends, family, and honored guests, we are here on this marvelous Sunday afternoon to witness the much overdue union of these two fine individuals." Announced McGonagall.

Harry spluttered. "_Much overdue_?"

"Hush." Said Ginny, slapping him in the chest.

McGonagall cleared her throat again. "Today we bind these two souls into one. It is a day where their journey of love, commitment bondage truly begins."

Harry heard Fred mutter "Bondage, eh? Kinky.", and then heard the slap of someone –no doubt his mother- making him shut up. Harry saw Ginny shuddering with giggles out of the corner of her mouth, but tuned back into what it was the Headmistress was saying.

"… all of you to help celebrate this union. Now, if anyone present can show just cause why they feel these two should not be married, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Harry wondered why everyone had broken out into giggles, before he spun around and spotted that Mrs. Weasley had stood up out of her seat and was looking around at everyone threateningly, her hands on her hips.

Ginny giggled as her mother; looking satisfied that no-one was going to say anything and ruin the most important day in her little girl's life, smiled at McGonagall and waved her hands dismissively.

"Continue Minerva." She said, sitting herself back down.

"Yes, thank you Molly. Well, if no one has any objections I will continue. Now, I have been informed by both Harry and Ginny that they didn't want to waste time with a long speech from me, so did you two want to start with your vows?"

"I'll start!" cried Ginny, throwing her arm up in the air as if she were answering a question in class.

Harry smiled as she sighed and looked up at the sky, apparently trying to remember what it was she wanted to say to him.

She smiled at him. "Harry, I love you more than anyone else I've ever met, and it's always been that way since I was ten years old. I've always been prepared to follow you anywhere you lead, because I know that going into hell with you would be better than going to heaven without you. I want always to have you be by my side. I want always to take every step of your lives with you there with me. And I want always, to love you as much as I do today."

Harry felt that mushy feeling in his chest again. He knew it was probably very feminine and not at all rugged and manly, but he just wanted to drop to his knees and wrap his arms around her and thank Merlin for granting him the fortune of having met this woman at all.

McGonagall cleared her throat. "Harry, do you have something you would like to say in response?" she whispered.

Harry jumped, suddenly remembering himself. "Oh, yes! Er, where's Remus?" he asked, looking around.

"Here, I'm here!"

Harry smiled as his old friend stood up near the front and walked up toward him, searching his pockets.

"Blast, I know I had it in here somewhere."

"Do hurry old chap, we're on a tight schedule." Muttered Harry, grinning at Ginny. She was watching him with curiosity.

Remus searched through the pockets of his jeans, his shirt and finally cried in triumph. "Aha. Here you are, fresh off the print from this morning." He said, pulling out a folded piece of parchment from his back pocket.

Harry took it, gave Remus a smile of thank and watched him go back to his seat. He turned to Ginny, cleared his throat and looked down at the parchment, the words written on it familiar from a memory that wasn't his own.

"Ginny, at school we didn't always admit the way we felt about each other, although mostly everyone else could see it. I can't pinpoint the exact moment I knew that you were the one for me. Was it while you were in the Library, chewing on one of those many sugar quills you love? Was it when I saw you at the final Christmas at Hogwarts, with your hair up in those braids? Or was it when you yelled in my face for being such an insensitive git for the millionth time?"

Ginny giggled, but he wasn't finished.

"I suppose it doesn't matter. The lines of time are blurred, making the span of my feelings for you become one simple existence than makes me want to be a better man than anyone thinks I already am. I gave myself to you years ago, and I still do. Everyday I look at you and find that I love you just as much as I did seven years ago. Ginny, my love is all that I really have to give to you, as well as my honor and promise to always be by your side. So take these vows with you always – along with the smashing wedding ring I brought it. Trust me, its going to make you want to… well, do something rather inappropriate that we can do later away from the public eye."

Everyone laughed, including Ginny. She rolled her eyes at him, but at the same time found him totally adorable. But when had he had the time to write those vows? And why on earth had Remus had them?

The rest of the ceremony become somewhat of a blue to Harry. Later, he would vaguely remember putting a ring on Ginny's finger, letting her put one on his, doing some matrimonial spells he had learnt for the occasion and finally saying a few more vows. All he had been focusing on was her. Her smile, her hair, her dress…

"Well, with all the honor that I can exhume, I now pronounce this couple husband and wife. Harry, you may kiss the bride."

Ginny burst out laughing as he grabbed her, dipped her and pressed his lips insistently against hers. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, listening to the applause of the guest and the cat-calls of the twins somewhere to her right.

Harry let her up and took her hands. "Sorry, did I startle you?" he chuckled.

Ginny smiled, linked her arm through his and kissed his cheek. "No, not at all. How are you feeling?"

Harry sighed and began walking up the aisle with her, smiling at people as he passed. "Like I could pas out actually. Your vows were fantastic."

"As were yours."

"How are you feeling?"

"About the same as you, and luckily I'm not about to turn into my mother."

Harry smiled and looked over his shoulder to see Mrs. Weasley sobbing hysterically into her husbands shoulder, looking very happy at the same time.

"Oh well,' he said, kissing her temple. 'There are worse things, _my wife_."

* * *

"Oh Ginny, my baby, all married and grown up…"

"Mum, I can't _breathe_! Get a hold of yourself woman!"

"I have every right to smother you; it's your wedding day! Oh, and you looked so beautiful… but honestly, Ginny, couldn't you have covered up that ridiculous dragon on your arm?"

"Harry thinks my tattoo is sexy."

"And that's all well and good, but on your _wedding day_? In your lovely wedding dress?"

Ginny shrugged her mother's arms from around her and frowned. "It's not a wedding dress, it's a wedding _gown_, mother."

Harry sniggered, but stopped instantly as Ginny kicked him under the table. He had no desire to make any sort of input into the argument of two Weasley women… not if he wanted to keep his head attached that is.

They were all now seated and happily enjoying a feast not seen since Hogwarts. The alter and seats had been cleared away and replaced with one long table along the back of the yard, with a large space and then sets of round tables for the guests to sit. This was, according to Harry and Ginny, the best idea for the reception. The afternoon was getting late, and fireflies were bussing around, making everyone smile at the pleasantness of the evening.

Harry looked at his wife beside him and smiled. _Wife_. It was becoming more and more real every time he thought about it.

Without looking up from her meal, Ginny said 'Harry, dear, is there something you would like to say? You have been looking at me like that for the past twenty minutes."

"Say it again."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "I should just record my voice and give it to you to play at your leisure."

"Just say it will you? Humor me." He said.

Ginny sighed, turned in her seat and smiled at him. "You're my husband." She giggled. "And I'm your wife, and we'll live happily ever after with ten kids and five dogs and a cat. Satisfied?"

Harry sniggered, leant in and kissed her. "I love you, thank you."

"Well,' boomed Ron suddenly, getting out of his seat and grabbing everyone's attention 'seen as most of you are simply filled to the brim with the fantastic food we've been provided with, I think its only fitting for our newlyweds to have their first dance."

Harry groaned as everyone began cheering. "Dancing…"

"Get up off your arse and dance with me!" laughed Ginny, launching herself out of her seat.

"But, in front of all these people…" Harry muttered, letting her drag him around the table and into the area left open for them.

"You danced with Parvati at the Yule ball in front of hundreds of people!" she sniffed indignantly.

Harry smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, bring her closer. "I'm yet to see your point."

Ginny went to hit him, when she saw him look over at Ron. Harry gave his best man a nod, and Ron smiled, got up from the table and went over to the radio at the other end of the table.

"What are you doing?" she whispered, looking up at him with curiosity.

"I picked a song, I hope you don't mind."

The music started up and Harry began leading her in a slow dance. Ginny didn't really know the song, but the words of it were perfect. She smiled and rested her head in his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck as they swayed together.

"Our first dance as a married couple." She muttered.

"Hmm, I know. Kind of weird, isn't it?"

"Weird?

"Well, I don't know about you, but I was rather expecting to feel somewhat… different about all this. This morning, I was more hysterical that Hermione two days before exams. I was so worried about how this, us getting married, was going to change something."

Ginny smiled. "But it hasn't changed anything, really."

"No, only your last name."

"Ah yes, Ginerva Molly Potter. Has a nice ring, doesn't it?"

Harry laughed and twirled her, receiving another round of applause from the guests. "Speaking of rings… how do you like yours?"

Ginny smiled and admired her left hand. There, on her fourth finger, sat the golden band Harry had given her. It wasn't extravagant, but that was the way she wanted it. It had a simple row of seven small diamonds embedded into it and Celtic writing along the rest of it.

"Its beautiful." She said, kissing his cheek.

Harry sighed and planted a hand on the small of her back, bringing them that little bit closer. "Look, I really meant what I said in those vows, but there was so much else I wanted to say."

"Say it to me now then," She said. "While no-one else is listening."

Harry had a quick look around. A few people were now dancing around them. Remus was dancing with Hermione, Molly with Arthur and Ron with Gypsy. It was perfect.

He sighed and took her hand in his. "Ginny, I don't think you really know what my life was like before you came back in it. I was totally obsessed with my work. I had no real friends, I didn't go out all that much, I didn't laugh… it was like I was just existing. Just waiting for my next assignment. I felt flat and lifeless, and I didn't really realize that until you came back.

'You brought the laughter back, Ginny. You brought the smile back to my face and the warmth back into my heart. You gave me purpose… you made me feel alive again." He said, taking her face in his hands.

Ginny smiled. "I did all that for you?"

"That and so much more. I can't even imagine my life without you now." He said, smiling warmly.

"Well, I'd say that's a good thing, because now you're stuck with me. Until death do us part." She said, wrapping her arms around his middle and hugging him.

Harry sighed. "Urgh, does this mean I have to share the bathroom with you for the rest of my life?"

"Not if you add an extension to the house."

He laughed and they fell into silence for a moment. Harry was enjoying her warmth against him and was trying desperately not to tread on her bare feet. Apparently, the story with that was that she had become so frustrated with the shoes and how they wouldn't simply just not sit properly on her feet; she had sent them up in flames, extinguished them and thrown them out the window. This certainly explained why Percy had suddenly dropped to the ground while in the middle of a conversation with Andromeda.

"Can I ask you a question?" she said suddenly.

"You just did, but you can ask another one if you want."

"Why did Remus have your vows in his pockets? Why didn't you have them?"

Harry paused. "Oh, er, that was a last minute thing." He said shiftily. "See, I'd been trying to memorize them, but I forgot it all at the last minute. So I made him go back and get them for me."

"Why didn't you get Ron to do that?"

"Because Ron couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because Ron wasn't there."

Ginny frowned and looked up at him. "What? What are you talking about?"

Harry sighed. "Those vows… they're what my Dad said to my mum on their wedding day." He admitted quietly. "I'd asked Remus to tell me what they were, seen as he was there at Dad's side when he said them, and I forgot them this morning. So, I asked Remus to go back into the Pensieve he had shown me the wedding in and write them down for me."

Ginny gaped at him. He looked very embarrassed and wouldn't look her in the eye for some reason. "Your _parent's_ vows?" she muttered.

Harry nodded bashfully and laughed. "I thought it would be a good idea." He shrugged.

"Oh, Harry,' she laughed, kissing him. 'It was a fantastic idea. And I loved it."

"Really?"

"Of course!"

Harry laughed as she hugged him. They were still swaying together with the steady beat of the music. "Well, if you loved the vows, imagine how much you'll love the honeymoon."

* * *

Harry listened distantly to the sounds of Ginny bidding everyone goodbye from around the other side of the house. He was in the shed, putting the last minute touches on their leaving transportation for the evening. He hoped she liked what he was doing…

Harry looked up as the shed door rolled open with a clatter and Ron walked in. "Hey." He said.

Ron smiled down at him and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hey, how goes the preparations?" he asked, looking at the motorbike Harry was bent down beside.

Harry sighed and sat back on his heels, jiggling the socket wrench in his hand. "Well, I think I've tuned her as much as possible. I greased the axles a little more and I filled her up this morning.' He looked up at Ron. 'You think she'll be okay with this? Riding off into the sunset in the wake of a perfectly good wedding day on a 1976 motorcycle?"

Ron laughed. "I think she'll love it. You know how she is, with her bad boys and all. Put some leathers on and you'll fit the image just right."

Harry smiled, dumped the wrench on the dirt floor and grabbed up the leather jacket he had slung over the seat of the bike. Ron laughed as Harry pulled it on, showing off how well it fit.

"This has been probably the laziest, low key, untraditional wedding I have ever bloody been to, mate."

Harry smiled. "I should hope so… that's what we wanted. But what I don't understand is how come no reporters bombarded the fortress."

Ron smiled and went to open the shed door as Harry began pushing the bike out. "Yeah, well, that probably has to do with Dad telling them all that if they came within fifty miles of this place he's take their paper franchises of the market completely." He said.

Harry laughed. "Ha! And here I thought it was because of that speech you made."

Ron hit Harry across the back of the head as he passed and slammed the door shut behind them with a wave of his wand. "That happened to be a well thought out speech, thank you very much!"

"Uh huh, sure." Said Harry, opting not to say anything else.

It was completely night now, and the day's festivities were drawing to a close. Harry had never had such a good say in all his life, and he was sad to see it end. But, the thought of getting Ginny alone in the hotel he had booked in Italy for a month for their Honeymoon was a very good thought to hold onto.

"I just can't believe it." Said Ron suddenly as they made their way around toward the front.

"What, that you gave a bad speech?"

"No, that you're _married_! And to my sister. I mean, think about it, you're actually my brother now… oh, you know, not that you weren't always." Added Ron, shoving his hands back in his pockets.

Harry looked up at Ron and smiled. "Thanks, that means a lot."

"Well, maybe I should have put it in my speech then."

"Yeah, and left that part out about how I used to moan about Ginny in my sleep when I was seventeen. I can't look your parents in the eye ever again!"

Ron laughed as Harry rested the bike against the house, dusted his hands and together they walked around to the front of the house.

Harry bit back the urge to laugh at was he was seeing. Ginny was standing on the front porch, being practically smothered by woman after woman, kissing her and hugging her, giving her congratulations and otherwise simply obsessing over her for the simple reason of her being the bride. Hermione was trying to shoo them away, but to avail. Ginny, with Daniel in her arms, wasn't putting up much of a fight anyway.

Harry sighed and looked at Ron beside him. "Should I go save her?"

"I say no. But, since when do you listen to me?"

Harry laughed, clapped Ron on the shoulder and rushed over, barging his way through the crowd.

"Here now, move aside… out of the way… come on, move…oh, sorry Remus, did I hurt your toe… Hagrid, could you possibly throw me up there or something?...Ginny!"

Ginny laughed as Harry finally stumbled out of the crowd and fell at her feet. She handed Daniel to her mother and helped him up.

"Oh dear, did you ruin you… wait, where did you get this jacket?" she asked, eyeing him with what he recognized was her appraising look.

Harry smiled, took her hand and cleared his throat, turning back to the crowd. "Alright everyone, that's enough. _Oi! Shut the hell up_!" he yelled. When everyone went silent, he sighed happily. "Good. Now, on behalf of myself and my new wife,' he took a moment to have a little snigger, before continuing 'I would like to thank you all for coming. It means a lot to have you all here, and it means even more to know that the twins could find it in themselves not to pull any pranks for the occasion."

"Yeah, our wedding gift to you." Called Fred, giving Harry and Ginny a thumbs-up.

Ginny snorted. "Look, short version: thanks for coming, kudos for the presents, and bon voyage to us both as we ride off into the distance toward our honeymoon destination!" she said, pointing down the road.

Everyone laughed and Harry hugged her again. "Very inspiring." He muttered to her.

"Yes, well, you would have stood there all day with that BAFTA speech you were about to give. Now, explain to me where you acquired this sexy-as-all-hell jacket and why haven't you worn it before today?"

Harry laughed, grabbed her hand and went to lead her around the house, when…

"No! Ginny, throw the bouquet!" screamed someone.

Ginny sighed and looked at Harry in apology. She went back to the top step and spun around, flowers clutched in her hand. "Okay, are we ready? Are the claws out?"

Harry exchanged a look with Hermione a smiled as most of the single women (and there were surprisingly quite a few) barged through the crowd to stand in catching distance. Hermione looked at them down her nose as if she thought the whole ordeal quite undermined the female integrity and intelligence, but Harry very clearly remembered her throwing her own bouquet not so long ago, and how into it she had been.

Ginny feinted a few times, before finally tossing it hard over her shoulder. But, she threw it a bit too hard, as it went sailing over the tops of everyone's heads, and someone in the middle of the caught it with one hand.

Ginny spun around to see who had caught it, craning her neck as Harry came back to her side. The crowd parted, revealing the person who held the flowers in her hands… and it took every ounce of willpower for the newlyweds not to burst out laughing.

Tonks was standing there like a dear caught in headlights, blushing to the roots of her short blonder hair. But what made it even funnier, was the fact that she was standing right next to Charlie.

"Hey Boss,' called Harry 'Good catch!"

Tonks glared up at him as everyone sniggered. "Not a word of this, Potter, not a single word."

Everyone went into a teasing frenzy, and Harry kissed Ginny's cheek and took her by the shoulders.

"Wait here." He muttered. "Oh, and you'll want to put some pants on or something. You know, get out of your wedding dress."

"It's a _gown_…" she started to argue, but he bounded off, through the sea of people and out of sight before she could finish.

She sighed and looked down at herself. While Harry had changed out of his earlier attire, she had opted to stay in her gown. She did feel very good in it after all. But, she suspected that she should heed his advice, so with that she pulled her wand out of the travel bag at her feet, muttered a few charms and transformed her gown into a pair of cargo pants and a black, singlet top.

Hermione came up to stand beside her, cradling Gypsy in her arms. "Hey, you changed." She said. "Where's Harry?"

Ginny shrugged, slipping her wand in her back pocket. "He went that-a-way." She turned to Hermione and smiled. The older girl's hair was coming out of it bun, yet she still looked fantastic. "Thanks Hermione, you know, for everything you did today."

Hermione laughed and threw an arm around Ginny, trying not to crush the baby as the two women embraced. "Ooh, anytime. I'm so happy for the two of you."

Ginny smiled and went to say something else, when the roar of an engine suddenly filled the air.

Everyone spun around and cheered as, to Ginny's utter amazement, Harry came flying around the corner on a large motorcycle looking very much the expert. His hair flew around his face and he had a cocky grin on his face.

"Oh my." Was all Ginny could say.

Hermione snorted. "Who's he trying to be? Fonzie?"

Ginny didn't much care who this Fozzie chap was. Instead, she barged her way through the mass of people until she was standing right next to the motorbike. Harry simply killed the engine, kicked up the stand, and swung his leg over the bike. It leant on an incline, perfectly innocent.

Harry smirked at her, ignoring the oohs and ahh's from everyone else. "You like our ride?"

Ginny gaped at him, a smile creeping up her face as he folded his arms over his chest. "Where on earth did you get a motorcycle?"

"My Godfather actually." He said, rubbing the handle with the cuff of his sleeve. "Sirius made me the sole benefactor in his will, and what should I find in his vault in Gringotts amongst mountains of gold, but a shiny new motorcycle!" he laughed at her expression. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I forget to tell you all this?" he added innocently.

Ginny laughed and hit him in the arm. "You arse! Why haven't you said anything before now?"

"Well, I wanted to pleasantly surprise you. Now hop on wench, we're horrendously behind schedule." He said, getting back on the bike.

Ginny let out a squeak of excitement, summoned their luggage and shrunk it, slipped it in her pocket and climbed on the back of the bike behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Oh now, don't you drive too fast!" cried Mrs. Weasley, looking at them with concern.

"Oh belt up mum, ride her as fast as you can Harry!" cried Bill, giving Harry a thumbs up.

"Ooh, I could comment…" muttered Harry so only Ginny could hear.

He simply zoned out as most members of the Weasley family came up and bid Ginny goodbye. Harry let his eyes wander over the crowd, marveling at how many people really had turned up. His eyes scanned the heads, left to right… but he did a double take as something at the back caught his eye.

He stared, feeling his chest hitch. Was he hallucinating? Too much wine and Meade? He had to have been.

Because people do not usually see their dead parents standing at the back of a crowd.

Harry knew it was them, but how they were there he couldn't say. There were like mirages, fading out the longer he looked at them. There was the main focus of his life, his father, his hair as unkempt and unruly as Harry's own. And his mother, her arms around his father's neck as she hugged him. They were smiling at him, their eyes gleaming with a pride Harry had never seen before. James grabbed Lily's hand and spun her around as if they were dancing, both of them looking back at each other, smiling as if they shared a secret, and them looking back at him.

Harry's shock wore off, and he smiled at them. He lifted his hand up off the handle as if in a dream and gave them a little wave.

"Who are you waving at?" Asked Ginny suddenly, her voice making him jump.

He looked at her over his shoulder and smiled at her expression of curiosity. "Its…" he stopped as he looked back at the spot where his parents had been.

There was no-one there.

He sighed and smiled. "Nothing. Just waving is all."

"Well, enough waving. Let's just get out of here!" she cried, letting out a cry.

Harry laughed, turned around properly and brought the engine back into life, but not before he wiped away a tear from his eye.

Ron stepped up and stood beside Hermione as Harry brought the bike back into life and revved the engine. Ginny was waving happily to people, blowing them all kisses and both of them looked ridiculously happy.

He sighed and loosened his tie. "Well, there ends another era." He said, watching as the newlyweds bid their last goodbyes and slowly began rolling off down the road.

Hermione looked at him. "_Ends_? Oh no."

BANG!

Everyone jumped as Harry skidded to a halt, turned around and flew back up the street. And with one final wave, the bike lifted off the dirt road and rose steadily into the air.

Hermione smiled and watched them disappear into the night. "Oh no, this isn't the end. It's only the beginning."

* * *

A/N – WOW! Long, and I wanted to put so much more in! And there ends another story. I hope you all enjoyed the ride!

Please review!


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